Meaning
To develop a general agreement among a group.
Cultural Background
In French corporate culture, 'bâtir un consensus' is often a response to the 'top-down' management style. It represents a shift toward more collaborative leadership. The EU is often described as a 'machine à consensus'. The phrase is used to describe the complex negotiations between 27 member states. In Quebec, the term is also common in labor relations, reflecting a North American influence on professional French vocabulary. In international relations, 'bâtir un consensus' is the goal of every 'communiqué final'. It implies that no one is totally unhappy.
Use it in Cover Letters
Mentioning your ability to 'bâtir un consensus' makes you sound like a high-level leader.
Don't over-pronounce the 's'
The final 's' in consensus is pronounced, but don't make it too long or hissing.
Meaning
To develop a general agreement among a group.
Use it in Cover Letters
Mentioning your ability to 'bâtir un consensus' makes you sound like a high-level leader.
Don't over-pronounce the 's'
The final 's' in consensus is pronounced, but don't make it too long or hissing.
The 'Non' Culture
Remember that in France, 'non' is often the start of the negotiation to build a consensus.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'bâtir'.
Nous ________ un consensus depuis trois heures.
The subject is 'Nous', so the verb must end in '-issons' for the second group.
Which preposition is most natural here?
Il faut bâtir un consensus ____ ce projet de loi.
'Autour de' is the standard collocation for building consensus around a topic.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate context.
Context: A high-level diplomatic meeting.
'Bâtir un consensus' is the most formal and appropriate for diplomacy.
Fill in the missing line.
A: Les membres de l'équipe ne sont pas d'accord. B: ________
This is the professional response to a disagreement in a team.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesNous ________ un consensus depuis trois heures.
The subject is 'Nous', so the verb must end in '-issons' for the second group.
Il faut bâtir un consensus ____ ce projet de loi.
'Autour de' is the standard collocation for building consensus around a topic.
Context: A high-level diplomatic meeting.
'Bâtir un consensus' is the most formal and appropriate for diplomacy.
A: Les membres de l'équipe ne sont pas d'accord. B: ________
This is the professional response to a disagreement in a team.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions'Bâtir' is more formal and emphasizes the effort involved. 'Trouver' is more neutral.
No, it sounds too formal. Use 'se mettre d'accord'.
No, it is pronounced: /kɔ̃.sɛ̃.sys/.
Unanimity means everyone agrees 100%. Consensus means everyone accepts the decision for the sake of the group.
Yes, it is a regular -ir verb of the second group (like finir).
Yes, it is correct and synonymous, but 'bâtir' is slightly more common in this specific collocation.
You can say 'parvenir à un consensus' or 'arriver à un consensus'.
It is masculine: un consensus.
It means that a topic is generally accepted by everyone without much debate.
Yes, it is widely used in Quebec, especially in politics and business.
Related Phrases
Dégager un consensus
similarTo extract or identify a consensus.
Faire consensus
similarTo be generally agreed upon.
Trouver un terrain d'entente
similarTo find common ground.
Rompre le consensus
contrastTo break the consensus.
