Essential French Expression
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| Meaning | to hear | |
| Literally | to hear said | |
| Register | normal | |
| Pronunciation |  |
[a(n) ta(n) dreu deer] |
| IPA | [ã tã drə diʀ] | |
Usage notes: The French expression entendre dire is used to report something you heard about. It’s followed by the subordinating conjunction que plus a clause …
Par exemple…
| J’ai entendu dire que le nouveau resto n’est pas très bon. | I heard the new restaurant isn’t very good. | |
| On entend dire que … | Rumor has it that … |
Or it can be used with a direct object pronoun or relative pronoun replacing a clause.
| C’est peut-être exagéré ; je l’ai entendu dire dans un bar. | It might be exaggerated; I heard it in a bar. | |
| Nous sommes heureux de l’entendre dire. | We’re happy to hear that. | |
| D’après ce que j’ai entendu dire … | From what I’ve heard, By all accounts … |
Entendre dire vs entendre parler
The meaning of these two expressions is very similar, but they are not interchangeable. Which one to use depends on the grammar and sentence construction that follows:
- Entendre dire + subordinating conjunction que + clause
- Entendre parler + preposition de + noun
En comparaison…
| J’ai entendu dire que l’IPO aura lieu la semaine prochaine. | vs |
I heard that the IPO will take place next week. |
| J’ai entendu parler d’un IPO la semaine prochaine. | I heard about an IPO next week. | |
| J’ai entendu dire que tu vas déménager au Québec. | vs |
I heard that you’re going to move to Québec, Someone told me that you’re … |
| J’ai entendu parler de ton déménagement au Québec. | I heard about your move to Québec. |
Related lessons
- Does entendre dire need the subjunctive?
- Entendre conjugations
- Clauses
- Conjunctions
- Direct objects
- Prepositions
- Relative pronouns
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