What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of según (according to), nuestra (our) and conversación (conversation).
Which one should you use?
Tal como conversamos means 'just as we discussed', and Según lo hablado means 'according to what was spoken'. You may also use según lo conversado, which is a very common professional variation that uses a neuter article to refer to the substance of the conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal settings, particularly in business correspondence, you can use conforme a lo hablado to mean 'as discussed' or De acuerdo a nuestra conversación for 'according to our conversation'. In informal situations, you can say Tal como hablamos (just as we spoke) or use the colloquial como quedamos to mean 'as we agreed'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase según nuestra conversación, the word nuestra must agree in gender (feminine) with the noun conversación.
How do you pronounce it?
/seɡun nwestɾa kombeɾsaθjon/
Did you know?
- While según is common in professional contexts, using de acuerdo a in this phrase is occasionally criticized by linguistic purists who believe it is a calque from the English 'according to'.
- In Spanish business culture, starting an email with según lo hablado often serves as a polite but firm legal trail to document verbal agreements that are not yet in writing.
- The word según is a doublet of segundo, meaning 'second'. Both stem from the Latin secundus, referring to something that follows another.
Examples in context
- Estimado Sr. González, de acuerdo a nuestra conversación del pasado jueves, le envío adjunto el informe solicitado.Dear Mr. González, according to our conversation last Thursday, I am sending you the requested report attached.
- Le envío el contrato según nuestra conversación.I am sending you the contract as per our conversation.
- Adjunto el presupuesto según nuestra conversación de ayer.I attach the budget as per our conversation yesterday.
- He realizado los cambios según nuestra conversación.I have made the changes as per our conversation.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a project deadline in an office.
- MaríaHola Javier, según nuestra conversación, ¿está listo el informe?Hello Javier, as per our conversation, is the report ready?
- JavierSí, María, ya lo terminé esta mañana.Yes, María, I already finished it this morning.
- MaríaPerfecto, ¿puedes enviármelo por correo electrónico ahora?Perfect, can you send it to me by email now?
- JavierClaro, lo envío en este momento.Of course, I am sending it right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conversación, nuestra, según, CC BY-SA 4.0.
