Comprendre Expressions

Understanding French Phrases

French expressions with comprendre
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The French verb comprendre, which means “to understand” as well as "to comprise," is found in many idiomatic expressions, including to believe, to misunderstand, and to not be able to take a joke. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions featuring comprendre.

Comprendre translations

  • to understand
  • to follow
  • to grasp
  • to realize
  • to see
  • to comprehend (formal)
  • to get (informal)
     
  • to be composed of
  • to comprise
  • to consist of
  • to have
  • to include

Comprendre expressions

comprendre 2, 3, etc parties to have / be made up of 2, 3, etc parts
comprendre bien to understand clearly
comprendre la gravité de to understand / realize the seriousness of
comprendre la plaisanterie to know how to take a joke
comprendre le chauffage (rent) to include heat
comprendre les charges (rent) to include utilities
comprendre les choses to be broad-minded
comprendre les frais to include fees / expenses
comprendre mal to misunderstand, have a hard time understanding
comprendre sa douleur (informal) to realize what you’ve let yourself in for
comprendre vite to catch on quickly
croire comprendre to believe, think
faire comprendre à qqun (causative) to explain, make it clear to someone
ne comprendre rien à rien to not understand a thing, to not have a clue about anything
ne pas arriver à comprendre to not be able to understand
ne pas comprendre la plaisanterie to not be able to take a joke
   
Va / Allez comprendre pourquoi ! Go figure! I can’t imagine why!
C’est à n’y rien comprendre. It’s beyond me; I can’t understand a thing.
C’est comme ça que je comprends … That’s what I think of as …, That’s how I understand …
Dois-je comprendre que … ? Am I to understand that …?
Je vous ai compris ! I understand, I get it!
Il faut comprendre que … It must be understood that …
Si je comprends bien … As I understand it …
Tu n’as rien compris au film ! (informal) You don’t have a clue!
   
se comprendre à demi-mot to not have to spell things out to each other
se comprendre l’un l’autre to understand each other
se faire comprendre (causative) to make oneself understood
se faire comprendre à demi-mot to make oneself understood without having to spell it out
Ça se comprend. That’s understandable.
Est-ce que je me fais bien comprendre ? Do I make myself understood?
J’espère que je me suis bien fait comprendre. I hope I’ve made myself clear.

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French expressions with comprendre

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