What does it mean word for word?
The expression is built from content (happy/satisfied), d' (of/to), entendre (to hear) and ça (that).
Which one should you use?
While content d'entendre ça is a standard way to express the sentiment, there are several alternatives depending on the tone. In formal or professional settings, you might use ravi d'apprendre cela (delighted to learn that) or Je suis ravi(e) d'apprendre cela (I am glad to hear that). Another common alternative is ça me fait plaisir d'entendre ça (it pleases me to hear that). For informal situations, you can use Super ! Ça fait plaisir ! to express delight or Ça me fait plaisir de l'apprendre ! (It makes me happy to hear that).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more elegant, formal or professional contexts, ravi d'apprendre cela is a better choice. For formal or polite conversations, you can say Je suis heureux(se) d'apprendre cette bonne nouvelle (I am happy to hear this good news). Conversely, in informal settings, Super ! Ça fait plaisir ! is a way to show delight.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective within the phrase must agree with the gender and number of the person speaking. If the speaker is female, use contente d'entendre ça. If the speaker is referring to a group consisting only of women, use the feminine plural form contentes d'entendre ça.
Did you know?
- When using ravi to mean 'delighted', a speaker is using a word that literally means 'carried away' or 'seized'. It suggests a stronger emotional reaction than the steady satisfaction of being content.
- French has a distinct distinction between heureux and content. While both translate to 'happy', heureux often refers to a deeper, long-term state of happiness, whereas content refers to a specific feeling of satisfaction with a piece of news.
- While content means 'glad' in this phrase, it is also the root of the English word 'content' meaning satisfied. Both derive from the Latin contentus, which originally meant 'contained' or 'held within'.
Examples in context
- Tu as obtenu une promotion au travail ? Je suis vraiment ravi d'apprendre cela !You got a promotion at work? I am really glad to hear that!
- Félicitations pour ta réussite à l'examen ! Je suis vraiment heureux d'apprendre cette bonne nouvelle.Congratulations on passing your exam! I am really happy to hear this good news.
- Tu as réussi à terminer ton projet ? Ça me fait plaisir de l'apprendre !You managed to finish your project? I am happy to hear that!
- Il est content d'entendre ça.He is glad to hear that.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are talking about a job interview.
- NathanJ'ai enfin eu le poste !I finally got the position!
- LéaC'est super, je suis content d'entendre ça.That's great, I'm glad to hear that.
- NathanMerci beaucoup, Léa.Thank you very much, Léa.
- LéaOn va fêter ça ensemble !We are going to celebrate this together!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries content, ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
