j'écoute
In French, "I listen" is expressed as j'écoute.
This phrase is a statement used to say that you are paying attention to a sound or to someone speaking.
What does it mean word for word?
The form j'écoute is a contraction of je, meaning "I" and écoute, meaning "listen" or "hear".
Which one should you use?
Use j'écoute when you are intentionally listening to something. If you are describing the involuntary perception of a sound, you should use j'entends instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form j'écoute is the first-person singular present tense. The stem écoute can also be used as the imperative form écoute! when you are giving a command to "listen!" to a single person informally.
Did you know?
- The verb écouter shares a root with the English word 'acoustic'. Both derive from the Greek akoustikos, which refers to the sense of hearing.
- The verb écouter is used in the phrase être à l'écoute, which means to be empathetic or open to the needs and feelings of others.
- The imperative écoute! can be used as a filler word to start a sentence, similar to how English speakers use 'Look,' or 'Listen,' to signal a change in topic.
Examples in context
- J'écoute parfois du jazz.I listen to jazz sometimes.This sentence shows how to use j'écoute with a musical genre.Tatoeba #2383566 by sacredceltic, translation #2377647 by CK
- J'écoute rarement la radio.Rarely do I listen to the radio.This sentence uses j'écoute to describe the frequency of listening to the radio.Tatoeba #990936 by sacredceltic, translation #255726 by Dejo
- J'écoute la radio tous les jours.I listen to the radio every day.This sentence uses j'écoute to state how often you listen to the radio.Tatoeba #3000316 by Blabla, translation #11612631 by tieguy
- J'écoute attentivement votre présentation.I am listening attentively to your presentation.
- Je prête l'oreille à vos conseils.I am listening to your advice.
- J'écoute, vas-y!I'm listening, go ahead!
- Je t'écoute, que veux-tu me dire?I'm listening to you, what do you want to tell me?
- En tant que manager, j'écoute toujours mes employés avec attention.As a manager, I always listen to my employees carefully.
- Quand tu as un problème, je t'écoute, tu peux compter sur moi.When you have a problem, I'm listening, you can count on me.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma is telling Lucas a story.
- EmmaTu m'entends bien ?Can you hear me well?
- LucasOui, j'écoute attentivement.Yes, I am listening carefully.
- EmmaC'est une histoire très longue.It is a very long story.
- LucasNe t'inquiète pas, j'écoute.Don't worry, I'm listening.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
