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How to Say ‘But I have a question about the salary.’ in French

Mais j'ai une question sur le salaire.

meh zhay ay ewn kes-TYOHN suur luh sa-LAIR

[meh zhay ay ewn kes-TYOHN suur luh sa-LAIR]

🇫🇷 In France: Opening with mais after showing interest is a soft, polite way to bring up money. It's direct enough to be clear without sounding demanding.

Phrase Breakdown

Mais j'ai une question

meh zhay ay ewn kes-TYOHN

But I have a question

'Mais' (but) sounds like 'may' and adds a polite contrast. Say 'may zhay ün kes-TYON'.

Example

Mais j'ai une question importante.

But I have an important question.

Words in this phrase

Mais

[meh]

But

Used to introduce a contrast.

Example

Il est petit mais fort.

He is small but strong.

[zhay]

Pronoun used by the speaker to refer to himself or herself.

Example

J'aime les bonbons.

I like candies.

[ay]

have

Form of 'avoir' used with past participles to make the past tense.

Example

J'ai beaucoup appris grâce à notre discussion.

I learned a lot thanks to our discussion.

une

[ewn]

Indefinite article, feminine singular.

Example

Elle veut une pomme.

She wants an apple.

question

[kes-TYOHN]

question

Something you ask; feminine noun.

Example

J'ai une question.

I have a question.

sur le salaire.

suur luh sa-LAIR

about the salary.

'Sur' here means 'about'. 'Salaire' sounds like 'sa-LAIR'.

Example

On parle sur le salaire ?

Shall we talk about the salary?

Words in this phrase

sur

[suur]

about / on

A preposition used when asking or giving information about a topic.

Example

Sur votre site, j’ai lu vos engagements sociaux.

On your website, I read about your social commitments.

[luh]

the

Used as a function word to indicate a noun and to mark the noun as definite.

Example

Le chat noir.

The black cat.

salaire

[sa-LAIR]

salary

Masculine noun for the pay received for a job.

Example

Le salaire est intéressant.

The salary is attractive.

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

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