French course

Lesson 207 of 240

New here? This is lesson 207 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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I heard in French

Karim has the Saturday stall, and he has a rumor again. This time he corners Sam among the peaches.

You'll say what you heard, name who told you, and keep a little doubt.

Karim is sure the postcard is a love letter. Sam is not. Passing a story on is not the same as knowing it is true.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you heard from others and pass it on.

  • J'ai entendu dire que ___.I heard that ___.
  • Il paraît que c'est vrai.Word is it's true.
  • C'est Karim qui me l'a dit.Karim's the one who told me.
  • Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai.I don't know if it's true.
  • Tu as entendu la même chose ?Did you hear the same thing?
  • Moi je ne fais que répéter.I'm only passing it on.

Scene — the stall is busy

It is Saturday on the boulevard near rue des Tilleuls. Karim's fruit stall is open, crates stacked, cargo bike parked beside it.

Sam walks past with his mustard backpack. Karim waves him over before he can slip by.

Inès is somewhere in the crowd with a shopping bag. The postcard stays at the café; today it is only a story people keep repeating.

Karim waves a peach from the fruit stall as Sam walks past on the boulevard and Inès stands in the crowd with a shopping bag.

Learn — I heard

Six lines for hearsay. You will report what you heard, say who told you, and leave room for doubt.

Il paraît is the street talking. You do not have to believe it.

  1. Karim leans in over the fruit crates toward Sam, passing on what was heard as if the crates might listen.

    J'ai entendu dire que ___.

    I heard that ___.

    When to use it: Use this to report news you got from other people.

    After que, say the thing you heard as a full clause.

    Say it: The en in entendu is a nasal sound.

  2. Sam draws back beside the stall, startled by the rumor.

    Il paraît que c'est vrai.

    Word is it's true.

    When to use it: Use this when a rumor is going around as fact.

    Il paraît means people are saying it, not that you checked.

    Say it: The final t in paraît is silent.

  3. Over Sam's shoulder, Karim checks whether Sam heard the same thing while Sam's hand stays open and uncertain.

    C'est Karim qui me l'a dit.

    Karim's the one who told me.

    When to use it: Use this to name the person who told you.

    C'est plus a name plus qui puts the spotlight on that person.

    Say it: In l'a, le drops its vowel before a.

  4. Inès walks up with a bag of tomatoes and looks from Karim to Sam.

    Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai.

    I don't know if it's true.

    When to use it: Use this when you heard it but you still doubt it.

    Si keeps the doubt; que would present it more like a fact.

  5. Sam turns in profile toward Inès and indicates that Karim is the one who told Sam.

    Tu as entendu la même chose ?

    Did you hear the same thing?

    When to use it: Ask a friend whether they heard the same rumor.

    Tu is for a friend; a stranger or staff member gets vous.

  6. Peaches and crates fill the foreground while Karim steps back behind them with both palms open.

    Moi je ne fais que répéter.

    I'm only passing it on.

    When to use it: Use this when you repeat a story without backing it.

    Ne fais que means you only repeat, with no extra proof.

    Say it: The s in fais is silent.

Story — he corners Sam

Karim has the rumor again, and he will not let Sam walk past.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Saturday on the boulevard. Karim's stall is busy. He spots Sam and waves a peach.
  2. KarimSalut. Tu as deux minutes ?Hi. Have you got two minutes?
  3. SamOui, dis-moi.Yes, tell me.
  4. He leans in, as if the crates could hear.
  5. KarimJ'ai entendu dire que c'est une lettre d'amour.I heard that it's a love letter.
  6. SamAttends, quoi ?Wait, what?
  7. KarimLa carte postale. Il paraît que c'est vrai.The postcard. Word is it's true.
  8. SamComment tu le sais ?How do you know?
  9. KarimUn client, ce matin.A customer, this morning.
  10. KarimTu as entendu la même chose ?Did you hear the same thing?
  11. SamNon. Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai.No. I don't know if it's true.
  12. KarimMoi je ne fais que répéter.I'm only passing it on.
  13. Inès walks up with a bag of tomatoes and looks from Karim to Sam.
  14. InèsQui te l'a dit ?Who told you?
  15. SamC'est Karim qui me l'a dit.Karim's the one who told me.
  16. InèsEt tu y crois ?And do you believe it?
  17. SamJe ne suis pas sûr de ça.I'm not sure about that.
  18. KarimBon, prends tes pêches.Right, take your peaches.

Practice — rumor or fact

Eleven short exercises. You will listen, rebuild a line, and spot who told whom.

Keep rumor and fact apart as you tap.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You caught a rumor and you start with I heard that.

  3. Fill the gap

    Karim's the one who told me.

    C'est ____ qui me l'a dit.

  4. Pick the reply

    Karim says:

    Toi, tu y crois ou pas ? Dis-moi ce que tu penses.

    Do you believe it or not? Tell me what you think.

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    I don't know if it's true.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You pass the story on, but you do not want to own it.

    Moi je ne fais que ____.

  7. What does it mean?

    Attends, quoi ?

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    J'ai entendu dire que ___.Drop the English here
    Il paraît que c'est vrai.Drop the English here
    C'est Karim qui me l'a dit.Drop the English here
    Moi je ne fais que répéter.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  9. True or false?

    This asks how the other person knows.

  10. Find the mistake

  11. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Et toi, tu y crois, oui ou non ? Ton avis, pas celui des autres.

    And do you believe it, yes or no? Your view, not other people's.

    And you reply with:

Say it — pass it on

Now you're Sam at Karim's stall. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. KarimSam, deux minutes. La carte encore.Sam, two minutes. The postcard again.
  2. Sam (you)Ask him if he heard the same thing.

    Tu as entendu la même chose ?

    Did you hear the same thing?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
J'ai entendu dire que ___.I heard that ___.
Il paraît que c'est vrai.Word is it's true.
C'est Karim qui me l'a dit.Karim's the one who told me.
Je ne sais pas si c'est vrai.I don't know if it's true.
Tu as entendu la même chose ?Did you hear the same thing?
Moi je ne fais que répéter.I'm only passing it on.
Next: lesson 208Passing on a message

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these hearsay lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps rumor and doubt ready for the market.

Open Yak Cards