French Phrase
Dis‑leur gentiment que tu as une autre offre.
Meaning
Literally, “Tell them politely that you have another offer.” It is a courteous way to let someone know you are considering a different opportunity, often used in professional negotiations or job‑search contexts.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need to decline or postpone a proposal without sounding abrupt—e.g., during a job interview, a sales pitch, or any situation where you want to keep the relationship friendly while exploring other options.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dis-leurgentimentquetuasuneautreoffre
Imperative + object pronoun
In the affirmative imperative, object pronouns are attached to the verb with hyphens and follow the order: verb‑me/te/se/nous/vous‑le/la/les‑lui‑leur‑y‑en.
Adverb placement
When an adverb modifies an imperative, it normally follows the pronoun cluster (e.g., Dis‑leur gentiment).
Subordinate clause with que
The conjunction que introduces a dependent clause that explains what must be said.
Present tense of avoir
‘as’ is the second‑person singular present of avoir, used after ‘tu’.
Indefinite article + adjective
‘une autre offre’ means ‘another offer’; the adjective ‘autre’ follows the indefinite article.
🗨In Conversation
Dis‑leur gentiment que tu as une autre offre.
Tell them politely that you have another offer.
D’accord, je comprends. Nous allons revoir notre proposition.
Alright, I understand. We'll review our proposal.
✕Common Mistakes
Dis‑les gentiment que tu as une autre offre.
The object pronoun for ‘them’ is ‘leur’, not ‘les’, when referring to people.
Dis‑leur, poliment que tu as une autre offre.
‘Poliment’ is acceptable, but the adverb should follow the pronoun cluster; the hyphen placement is crucial.
Dites‑leur gentiment que vous avez une autre offre.
This mixes formal ‘vous’ with informal ‘gentiment’; better to keep the register consistent: either fully formal or fully informal.
Dis‑leur gentiment que tu as une autre offre.
In a very formal context, ‘une autre proposition’ is preferred over ‘offre’.
↔Alternatives
Fais‑leur savoir poliment que tu as une autre proposition.
Let them know politely that you have another proposal.
Annonce‑leur calmement que tu as reçu une autre offre.
Announce calmly to them that you have received another offer.
Dites‑leur avec courtoisie que vous avez une autre offre.
Tell them courteously that you have another offer.
Cultural Tip
In French business culture, the tone of your message matters as much as the content. Using ‘gentiment’ or ‘poliment’ softens the statement and shows respect. However, ‘gentiment’ can sound slightly informal; in a formal setting, prefer ‘poliment’ or the more neutral ‘avec courtoisie’. Also, remember that the imperative ‘Dis‑leur’ is informal; in a professional email you would use the formal ‘Dites‑leur’.