French Phrase
Sois précis et réaliste.
Meaning
‘Be precise and realistic.’ It is a concise piece of advice that urges the listener to focus on exactness while staying grounded in what can actually be achieved.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to give someone clear guidance—whether in a professional meeting, a classroom, or a personal conversation about goals, plans, or expectations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Soisprécisetréaliste.
Imperative of être (tu)
‘Sois’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘être’, used to give a direct command or advice.
Adjective agreement
In the imperative, adjectives that follow ‘être’ agree with the implied subject. Here the speaker addresses a male or a mixed group, so the masculine singular forms ‘précis’ and ‘réaliste’ are used.
Conjunction ‘et’
‘Et’ simply links two adjectives, meaning ‘and’.
Punctuation
A period at the end signals a firm statement rather than a question.
🗨In Conversation
Sois précis et réaliste dans ton rapport.
Be precise and realistic in your report.
D'accord, je vais vérifier les chiffres et ajuster les prévisions.
Alright, I’ll check the numbers and adjust the forecasts.
✕Common Mistakes
Es précis et réaliste.
The imperative of ‘être’ for ‘tu’ is ‘sois’, not ‘es’. ‘Es’ is the present‑tense indicative.
Sois précis et réalistes.
Both adjectives must stay singular because the subject is singular; ‘réalistes’ is plural and incorrect here.
Sois précis et réaliste (to a woman).
If you are speaking to a female, the adjective must agree: ‘Sois précise et réaliste.’ Using the masculine form with a female addressee is a mismatch.
↔Alternatives
Soyez précis et réaliste.
Be precise and realistic. (formal or plural)
Reste précis et réaliste.
Stay precise and realistic.
Fais preuve de précision et de réalisme.
Show precision and realism.
Cultural Tip
In French, the informal imperative ‘sois’ is used with friends, family, or colleagues you know well. In a formal or plural context you must switch to ‘soyez’. Also, French business culture values exactness, so pairing ‘précis’ with ‘réaliste’ is a common way to signal professionalism and credibility.