SkarpChapter 8 of 10
Listening Skills: Understanding Slow, Clear French
Develop strategies to understand slow, clear French in everyday situations and train your ear for key sounds and phrases.
New Words and Phrases: Listening for Key Information
In this step, you will learn a few very common words and phrases that often carry the main meaning in slow, clear French. These are great "anchor" words to listen for, even if you do not understand every single word.
| Word | Pronunciation | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| pardon ? | par-DOHN | sorry? / pardon? (used to ask someone to repeat) | Pardon ? Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?(Sorry? Can you repeat, please?) |
| lentement | lahn-tuh-MOHN | slowly | Parlez lentement, s’il vous plaît.(Speak slowly, please.) |
| je comprends | zhuh kohm-PRAHN | I understand | Oui, je comprends la question.(Yes, I understand the question.) |
| je ne comprends pas | zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah | I don’t understand | Désolé, je ne comprends pas.(Sorry, I don’t understand.) |
| un peu | uh(n) PEU (like "puh" with rounded lips) | a little / a bit | Je comprends un peu le français.(I understand French a little.) |
| qu’est-ce que… ? | KESS kuh… | what…? (used to begin many questions) | Qu’est-ce que vous avez dit ?(What did you say?) |
| le mot | luh MOH | the word | Je ne connais pas le mot en français.(I don’t know the word in French.) |
| ça veut dire… | sah vuh DEER | that means… | « Bonjour », ça veut dire « hello ».(“Bonjour” means “hello”.) |
Language Pattern: Asking for Repetition and Clarification
When you listen to slow, clear French, you still will not understand every word. That is normal. Instead of stopping, use simple fixed phrases to:
- Ask people to repeat or slow down.
- Say how much you understand.
- Ask about a word you do not know.
1. Asking to repeat or slow down
Use “Pardon ?” to ask someone to repeat. It is short and very common.
- French: « Pardon ? »
English: “Sorry?” / “Pardon?”
To be more specific, you can say:
- French: « Pardon ? Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ? »
English: “Sorry? Can you repeat, please?”
To ask someone to speak more slowly, use “lentement”:
- French: « Parlez lentement, s’il vous plaît. »
English: “Speak slowly, please.”
In slow audio practice, imagine saying this to yourself: “Parle lentement…” ("speak slowly") to remind yourself to focus on each sound.
2. Saying what you understand
Use “je comprends” (I understand) and “je ne comprends pas” (I don’t understand) as complete, ready-made sentences.
- French: « Je comprends. »
English: “I understand.”
- French: « Je ne comprends pas. »
English: “I don’t understand.”
To say you understand only a little, add “un peu”:
- French: « Je comprends un peu. »
English: “I understand a little.”
- French: « Je comprends un peu le français. »
English: “I understand French a little.”
Notice the pattern:
- je comprends = I understand
- je ne comprends pas = I do not understand
- un peu = a little
You can combine them:
- French: « Je ne comprends pas très bien, mais je comprends un peu. »
English: “I don’t understand very well, but I understand a little.”
3. Asking about unknown words
When you hear a word you do not know, you can still keep listening and ask a simple question:
- “Qu’est-ce que…” is a very common way to say “what…?”
- “le mot” means “the word”.
- “ça veut dire” means “that means”.
Useful patterns:
- French: « Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? »
English: “What does that mean?”
- French: « Qu’est-ce que ce mot veut dire ? »
English: “What does this word mean?”
- French: « Je ne connais pas le mot. Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? »
English: “I don’t know the word. What does that mean?”
These phrases help you keep the conversation going even when you miss words. When you listen to audio, you can imagine asking these questions and then listen again for the answer or for key words.
Practice Dialogue: Listening and Asking for Clarification
In this dialogue, you are listening to a French person who speaks slowly and clearly. You use simple phrases to say what you understand and to ask for repetition or meaning. Read the French, then the English, and focus on hearing the key words: "pardon", "lentement", "je comprends", "je ne comprends pas", "un peu", "qu’est-ce que", "le mot", "ça veut dire".
A French speaker is giving you simple information about a French class. They speak slowly, and you ask for clarification.
Bonjour ! Je parle lentement. Je m’appelle Marie et je suis votre prof de français.
Hello! I am speaking slowly. My name is Marie and I am your French teacher.
Bonjour Marie. Merci. Je comprends un peu le français, mais je ne comprends pas tout.
Hello Marie. Thank you. I understand French a little, but I do not understand everything.
D’accord. Aujourd’hui, nous parlons de votre vie: votre travail, votre famille, vos loisirs.
Okay. Today, we are talking about your life: your job, your family, your hobbies.
Pardon ? Pouvez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?
Sorry? Can you repeat, please?
Oui, bien sûr. Je répète lentement: nous parlons de votre travail, votre famille et vos loisirs.
Yes, of course. I repeat slowly: we are talking about your job, your family, and your hobbies.
Merci. Je comprends « travail » et « famille », mais je ne comprends pas le mot « loisirs ».
Thank you. I understand “work” and “family”, but I do not understand the word “loisirs”.
Qu’est-ce que ce mot veut dire ? « Loisirs », ça veut dire quoi ?
What does this word mean? “Loisirs”, that means what?
« Loisirs », ça veut dire « hobbies », les activités que vous aimez faire après le travail.
“Loisirs” means “hobbies”, the activities you like to do after work.
D’accord, je comprends maintenant. Je comprends un peu quand vous parlez lentement.
Okay, I understand now. I understand a little when you speak slowly.
Check Your Understanding: Listening Phrases
Answer this question about the phrases you use when you do not understand every word.
You are listening to someone speaking slow, clear French, but there is one word you do not understand. Which French sentence is best to ask what the word means?
- Qu’est-ce que ce mot veut dire ?
- Je comprends un peu le français.
- Parlez lentement, s’il vous plaît.
- Je ne comprends pas le français.
Show Answer
Answer: A) Qu’est-ce que ce mot veut dire ?
The correct answer is "Qu’est-ce que ce mot veut dire ?" which means "What does this word mean?" The other options say "I understand French a little", "Speak slowly, please", and "I do not understand French." They are useful, but they do not directly ask for the meaning of a specific word.
Key Terms
- le mot
- the word – helps you ask about a specific word you heard.
- un peu
- a little / a bit – used to soften what you say (je comprends un peu).
- loisirs
- hobbies / leisure activities – things you like to do in your free time.
- pardon ?
- sorry? / pardon? – short, polite way to ask someone to repeat.
- lentement
- slowly – ask someone to speak more slowly.
- je comprends
- I understand – can be a full sentence on its own.
- ça veut dire…
- that means… – used to give or ask for the meaning of a word or phrase.
- je ne comprends pas
- I don’t understand – useful to signal a problem in understanding.
- qu’est-ce que… ?
- what…? – very common way to start a question asking what something is or means.