Tu te rends compte ?

Informal French Expression

Tu te rends compte ?
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!
Meaning Can you imagine?! Can you believe it?!
Literally You realize? You’re aware?
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [tu teu ra(n) ko(n)t]
IPA   [ty tə rã kɔ̃t]

Usage notes: The French phrase se rendre compte means "to realize" or "to be aware."

Par exemple…

Je me suis rendu compte que mes parents allaient divorcer.   I realized that my parents were going to get divorced.
Maintenant que tu te rends compte de ton erreur, tu dois t’excuser.   Now that you’re aware of your error, you have to excuse yourself.

Informally, tu te rends compte is interjected as a rhetorical question to express outrage or disbelief:

Par exemple…

Après m’avoir larguée, il m’a demandé de l’aider avec ses devoirs – tu te rends compte !   After dumping me, he asked if I’d help him with his homework – can you believe it?!
Non, mais tu te rends compte de ce qu’il a osé faire ??   Can you believe what he dared to do??

Variations

  • Rends-toi compte ! (imperative) – “Just imagine! Just think!”
  • Vous vous rendez compte ! – when addressing more than one person

Somewhat synonymous: Figure-toi ! – "Get this!"

 Related lessons

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

Tu te rends compte !?

  Lawless French Files:  

Stay up to date with Lawless French

Questions about French?

 Visit the Progress with Lawless French Q+A forum to get help from native French speakers and fellow learners.

More Lawless French

 Subscribe to my twice-weekly newsletter.

Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

Leave a Reply