entendre
/ɑ̃.tɑ̃dʁ/
The English phrase 'hear' is translated into French as entendre.
The verb entendre is used to describe the physical perception of sound through the ear. While it specifically refers to the act of hearing, in certain contexts it can also signify 'to understand'.
Meaning: to perceive sounds through the ear (verb)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish entendre from écouter. While entendre means to perceive sound (to hear), écouter means to pay attention to sound (to listen). Additionally, the informal expression capter can be used to convey the idea of catching or understanding something.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.tɑ̃dʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse entendre (to hear) with écouter (to listen) when they mean to pay attention to a speaker.
Did you know?
- While entendre means 'to hear' in French, its close relative in Spanish, entender, means 'to understand'.
- In legal or very formal French, you might encounter the term entente, which refers to an agreement or understanding between parties rather than a sound being heard.
- In French, the phrase faire entendre parler is used to describe the act of introducing someone to a group or making their voice known.
Examples in context
- Je veux entendre ça.I want to hear this.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to hear something using entendre.Tatoeba #6000402 by PERCE_NEIGE, translation #2011489 by CK
- Je pus tout entendre.I could hear everything.This sentence is useful for expressing the ability to hear everything using entendre.Tatoeba #1920970 by sacredceltic, translation #1920824 by Spamster
- C'est bon à entendre.I'm glad to hear that.This sentence is useful for expressing that something is good to hear using entendre.Tatoeba #3599240 by sacredceltic, translation #254847 by CK
- Je peux entendre la musique dans le salon.I can hear the music in the living room.
- J'ai entendu parler de cette nouvelle technologie.I heard about this new technology.
- Entendez-vous ce bruit étrange ?Do you hear that strange noise?
- Entendu !Heard/Understood! – meaning "Sure!"
- Je t'ai entendu dire qu'il était en retard.I heard you say he was late.
- Je n'arrive pas à capter ce qu'il raconte.I can't catch/understand what he's saying.
- 536 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking in a noisy room.
- LucasEst-ce que tu peux m'entendre ?Can you hear me?
- EmmaNon, je n'arrive pas à t'entendre.No, I can't hear you.
- LucasJe vais parler plus fort pour t'aider à entendre.I will speak louder to help you hear.
- EmmaOui, maintenant je peux enfin t'entendre !Yes, now I can finally hear you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hear” translations and entries entendre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries entendre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
