Le mot de la semaine: entendre / s'entendre
(7).jpg)
Mot de la semaine: entendre / s'entendre
One meaning of the verb « entendre » is “to hear”. «il entend mal» – “he is hard of hearing”, «je l’ai entendu rire» – “I heard him laugh”, «on l’entend à peine» – “it is scarcely audible” and «entendre raison» - “listen to reason”.
Obviously, if you are listening and hear what others are saying, you are more likely to understand and this is a second meaning. «donner à entendre à quelqu’un» is to “lead or give someone to understand”, «laisser entendre quelque chose» is to “insinuate, to imply”, «c’est entendu» means “that’s understood, agreed, all right” and «bien entendu» is “of course, certainly”.
«Bien entendu», if you listen to each other, that is to say «s’entendre», then theoretically you will get on together - «ils s’entendent bien» “they get on well” or maybe not - «nous ne sommes pas faits pour nous entendre» – “we aren’t suited to each other”. But real buddies can be “as thick as thieves” - «ils s’entendent comme larrons en foire».
The third translation for « entendre » is to “intend or to mean” «Qu’entendez-vous par là ? » is “what do you mean by that?”
From there comes the noun «entente» that we find in «l’entente cordiale» which is an “agreement” and in «un mot à double entente», a “word with a double meaning”.
However, don’t get confused between «un malentendu» which is a “misunderstanding” and «un malentendant» (symbol above) who is “a person hard of hearing”.
And a final word to the wise: «à bon entendeur, salut» - “a word to the wise is enough”.