Basic understanding and knowledge | Learn French in English

About This Lesson

Use Basic understanding and knowledge to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Je comprends maintenant.

zhuh kohm-PRAHN meh(n)-tuh-NAHN I understand now.

Je ne comprends pas.

zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah I do not understand.

Je ne sais pas.

zhuh nuh seh pah I do not know.

Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

kess-kuh tyoo vuh DEER What do you mean?

Est-ce que tu me comprends ?

ess-kuh tyoo muh kohm-PRAHN Do you understand me?

Est-ce que tu le connais ?

ess-kuh tyoo luh koh-NEH Do you know him?

Word by Word

Je “Je” means “I” here and identifies the speaker. It appears before the verb, as in “Je comprends” and “Je ne comprends pas”. Use it before a verb when talking about yourself.

comprends “comprends” means “understand” in “Je comprends maintenant” and “tu me comprends”. The same form appears after “Je” and “tu” in the dialogue. Use it with a person before it to say who understands.

maintenant “maintenant” means “now” in “Je comprends maintenant”. It shows that the understanding happens at this moment. It can be placed after the verb to add when something happens.

ne “ne” starts the negative meaning in “Je ne comprends pas”. It comes before the verb, while “pas” comes after the verb. Use this placement when making a verb phrase negative.

pas “pas” completes the negative meaning in “Je ne comprends pas”. It comes after the verb, together with “ne” before the verb. Use it to say that an action or state does not apply.

sais “sais” means “know” in “Je ne sais pas”, meaning that the speaker does not know. It is a form of the citation form savoir used after “Je”. Use “Je ne sais pas” when you do not know an answer or fact.

Qu'est-ce The full expression “Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?” asks “What do you mean?”. “Qu'est-ce” opens this question expression and introduces what is being asked about. Use it at the start of this question pattern when asking for someone’s intended meaning.

que “que” is a linking part of the question “Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?”. It connects “Qu'est-ce” with “tu veux dire”; the whole question, not “que” alone, asks what someone means. Use it in the pattern “Qu'est-ce que” before the person and verb.

tu “tu” means “you” when one person is being addressed. It appears before the verb in “tu veux”, “tu me comprends”, and “tu le connais”. Use it before a verb when speaking directly to one person.

veux “veux” contributes “want” in “tu veux dire”, while the whole expression “Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?” asks what someone means. It is a form of vouloir used with “tu”. Use “tu veux” before another verb when expressing what one person wants to do.

dire “dire” means “say” or “mean” in “tu veux dire”. Together, “tu veux dire” asks about the meaning someone intends; “dire” alone does not express the whole question. Use it after a form of vouloir when referring to saying or meaning something.

Est-ce The full expression “Est-ce que” marks the questions “Est-ce que tu me comprends ?” and “Est-ce que tu le connais ?”. “Est-ce” is the opening question-marking part, and “que” completes the expression. Use “Est-ce que” before the subject and verb to ask a yes-or-no question.

me “me” means “me” in “tu me comprends” and identifies the person who is understood. It comes before the verb “comprends”. Use it before a verb when the action is directed at the speaker.

le “le” means “him” in “tu le connais” and identifies the male person who is known. It comes before the verb “connais”. Use it before the verb when referring to a male person as the person known.

connais “connais” means “know” or “be acquainted with” in “tu le connais”. It is a form of the citation form connaître used with “tu”. Use it with a person you know, including the object pattern “tu le connais”.

Grammar Points

est-ce que + sujet + verbe

Est-ce que tu comprends maintenant ?

ess-kuh tyoo kohm-PRAHN meh(n)-tuh-NAHN

Do you understand now?

Est-ce que introduces a yes/no question without changing the normal subject–verb order.

qu'est-ce que + sujet + verbe

Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

kess-kuh tyoo vuh DEER

What do you mean?

Qu'est-ce que introduces a question about an object or meaning; the subject comes before the verb.

French Vocabulary

comprendre verb

kohm-PRAHN-druh to understand comprends

Je comprends maintenant.

connaître verb

koh-NEHTR to know; to be familiar with connais

Est-ce que tu le connais ?

dire verb

DEER to say; to mean

Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

est-ce que phrase

ess-kuh do; does

Est-ce que tu me comprends ?

le pron

luh him

Est-ce que tu le connais ?

maintenant adv

meh(n)-tuh-NAHN now

Je comprends maintenant.

me pron

muh me

Est-ce que tu me comprends ?

pas adv

pah not

Je ne comprends pas.

qu'est-ce que phrase

kess-kuh what

Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

savoir verb

sah-VWAHR to know sais

Je ne sais pas.

tu pron

tyoo you

Est-ce que tu me comprends ?

vouloir verb

voo-LWAHR to want veux

Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I understand now.

Show Answer

Je comprends maintenant.

I do not understand.

Show Answer

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not know.

Show Answer

Je ne sais pas.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to understand

Show Answer

comprends

now

Show Answer

maintenant

to want

Show Answer

veux

to say; to mean

Show Answer

dire