reach agreement
يتوصل إلى اتفاق
حرفيًا: To extend one's hand or arrive at a shared promise
Use it when a discussion ends with everyone happily saying 'yes' to the same plan.
في 15 ثانية
- Coming to a mutual decision after a discussion or negotiation.
- Used in both professional meetings and serious personal decisions.
- Implies a process of moving from disagreement to harmony.
المعنى
This phrase describes the moment when two or more people finally say 'yes' to the same idea after discussing or arguing about it. It is like crossing the finish line of a long conversation where everyone is happy with the result.
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 6Buying a used car
After some haggling, we reached agreement on a price of five thousand dollars.
After some haggling, we reached agreement on a price of five thousand dollars.
Deciding on dinner with a partner
We finally reached agreement: tacos tonight, pizza tomorrow.
We finally reached agreement: tacos tonight, pizza tomorrow.
A high-stakes business merger
The two companies reached an agreement after months of secret talks.
The two companies reached an agreement after months of secret talks.
خلفية ثقافية
This phrase reflects the Western emphasis on 'negotiation culture' where a verbal or written contract is the ultimate goal of any interaction. It became a staple of diplomatic and legal English in the 20th century to describe the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
The 'An' Secret
Adding 'an' (reach an agreement) makes it sound slightly more specific, while 'reach agreement' sounds like a general state of harmony.
Don't say 'Make'
Many people say 'make an agreement.' While people will understand you, 'reach' sounds much more natural to native ears.
في 15 ثانية
- Coming to a mutual decision after a discussion or negotiation.
- Used in both professional meetings and serious personal decisions.
- Implies a process of moving from disagreement to harmony.
What It Means
Reach agreement is all about finding middle ground. It implies a journey or a process. You start with different opinions. You talk, you argue, and you compromise. Finally, you 'reach' that destination where everyone nods their heads. It is not just about winning an argument. It is about everyone being on the same page.
How To Use It
You usually use this phrase with a group or a partner. You can say we reached agreement or they reached an agreement. Note that you can use 'an' in the middle: reach an agreement. It works perfectly when talking about big things like house prices. It also works for small things like which pizza topping to order. Just remember, it implies that some discussion happened first.
When To Use It
Use this in professional settings like office meetings or salary negotiations. It sounds polished and clear. You can also use it in your personal life. Use it when you and your spouse finally decide on a vacation spot. It is great for storytelling too. 'After three hours of debating, we finally reached agreement on the movie.' It adds a sense of accomplishment to the story.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for simple, one-sided commands. If your boss tells you to do something and you just say 'okay,' you did not reach agreement. That was just an order. Also, avoid it in very high-energy, slang-heavy environments. If you are at a loud party, saying 'we have reached agreement on the next song' sounds a bit like you are wearing a suit to a swimming pool. It is a bit too stiff for that.
Cultural Background
In English-speaking cultures, especially in business, reaching agreement is seen as a sign of success. It suggests 'win-win' outcomes. Western culture often values the process of negotiation. We like to feel that everyone had a voice before the final 'yes.' This phrase captures that democratic spirit of talking it out until a solution appears.
Common Variations
You will often hear reach a compromise if both sides gave something up. Another common one is come to an agreement. They are almost identical. If the situation is very formal, you might hear arrive at a settlement. In casual talk, people might just say 'we settled it.' But reach agreement remains the classic, reliable choice for any serious discussion.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
This is a highly versatile collocation. It fits perfectly in a B2 level vocabulary because it bridges the gap between basic conversation and professional English.
The 'An' Secret
Adding 'an' (reach an agreement) makes it sound slightly more specific, while 'reach agreement' sounds like a general state of harmony.
Don't say 'Make'
Many people say 'make an agreement.' While people will understand you, 'reach' sounds much more natural to native ears.
The Handshake
In the US and UK, reaching agreement is often followed by a physical or digital 'handshake'—it's the cultural signal that the deal is locked.
أمثلة
6After some haggling, we reached agreement on a price of five thousand dollars.
After some haggling, we reached agreement on a price of five thousand dollars.
Shows the result of a financial negotiation.
We finally reached agreement: tacos tonight, pizza tomorrow.
We finally reached agreement: tacos tonight, pizza tomorrow.
Uses the phrase for a common daily compromise.
The two companies reached an agreement after months of secret talks.
The two companies reached an agreement after months of secret talks.
Formal use in a corporate context.
Glad we reached agreement on the hotel! Booking it now.
Glad we reached agreement on the hotel! Booking it now.
Casual confirmation of a shared plan.
The cat and I have reached agreement; he gets the sofa, I get the floor.
The cat and I have reached agreement; he gets the sofa, I get the floor.
Uses formal language for a silly situation.
It was hard, but we reached agreement on how to spend the holidays.
It was hard, but we reached agreement on how to spend the holidays.
Emotional context regarding family harmony.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the correct verb to complete the collocation.
The committee struggled for hours but finally ___ agreement.
In English, 'reach' is the standard verb paired with 'agreement' to show a goal has been achieved.
Select the most natural preposition to follow the phrase.
We reached agreement ___ the new office rules.
We usually reach agreement 'on' a topic or 'on' a specific point.
🎉 النتيجة: /2
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Formality of 'Reach Agreement'
Settled on it
We settled on pizza.
Reach agreement
We reached agreement on the budget.
Execute a formal accord
The parties executed a formal accord.
Where to Reach Agreement
Salary Talk
Getting a raise
Roommates
Cleaning schedule
Politics
Passing a law
Relationships
Wedding planning
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةNo, you should not use 'to.' Just say reach an agreement or reach agreement directly.
Yes! You can reach agreement on what movie to watch, though it sounds a bit more serious than just saying 'we decided.'
They are almost the same. Reach agreement sounds a bit more like you worked hard for it, while come to an agreement is more neutral.
It is neutral to formal. It is perfect for an office, but also fine for a serious talk with a friend.
Absolutely. In fact, it is most common in the past tense: we reached agreement.
Both reach agreement and reach an agreement are correct. The version with 'an' is slightly more common in everyday speech.
Then you haven't reached agreement. The phrase requires at least two people to be in harmony.
Reach a deal is more common in business and sales, while reach agreement can be about ideas or feelings.
Yes, it is very common in legal contexts to describe the moment parties stop negotiating and start signing.
Using 'at' instead of 'on.' You should say reach agreement on the price, not at the price.
عبارات ذات صلة
See eye to eye
To agree totally with someone.
Find common ground
To find something you both agree on.
Meet halfway
To compromise so both people are happy.
On the same page
Thinking in the same way about a situation.
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