French Phrase
En général, on répond sous 2 à 3 jours ouvrés.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that, as a rule, a reply will be given within two to three business days. It is a polite way to set a realistic expectation for response time.
When to use
Use this phrase in customer‑service emails, phone calls, or any professional context where you need to inform a client or colleague about the typical waiting period for a reply.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Engénéral,onrépondsous2à3joursouvrés.
En général
Adverbial phrase meaning ‘generally’ or ‘as a rule’; placed at the beginning of the sentence to set a broad expectation.
on (impersonal pronoun)
Used like ‘we/one’ in English; common in business French to refer to the company or service without specifying a person.
répond (present tense)
Third‑person singular present of répondre; agrees with the impersonal pronoun ‘on’.
sous + time frame
‘Sous’ introduces a maximum time limit, equivalent to ‘within’ in English.
jours ouvrés
Literally ‘working days’; counts Monday‑Friday, excluding weekends and public holidays.
🗨In Conversation
J'ai envoyé ma demande hier, quand aurai-je une réponse ?
I sent my request yesterday; when will I get an answer?
En général, on répond sous 2 à 3 jours ouvrés.
Generally, we respond within 2 to 3 business days.
✕Common Mistakes
En général, on répond dans 2 à 3 jours ouvrés.
‘Dans’ indicates a point inside a period (e.g., ‘dans deux jours’ = ‘in two days’), not a maximum limit.
En général, on répond sous 2 à 3 jours ouvrables.
The correct term is ‘jours ouvrés’; ‘ouvrables’ is rarely used and can sound non‑native.
En général, on réponds sous 2 à 3 jours ouvrés.
With the impersonal ‘on’, the verb stays in third‑person singular; ‘réponds’ is second‑person singular.
↔Alternatives
En principe, nous répondons en 2 à 3 jours ouvrés.
In principle, we answer in 2 to 3 business days.
Habituellement, la réponse arrive sous deux à trois jours ouvrés.
Usually, the answer arrives within two to three business days.
Nous nous efforçons de répondre sous 48 à 72 heures ouvrées.
We strive to reply within 48 to 72 working hours.
Cultural Tip
In French business communication, ‘jours ouvrés’ excludes weekends and public holidays, so always factor those days out when promising a deadline. Using the impersonal ‘on’ sounds professional and neutral, which is preferred in formal emails and phone scripts.