How do you say "I don't understand well" in French?

"I don't understand well" in French is "Je ne comprends pas bien". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘I don't understand well’ in French

Q: What does "Je ne comprends pas bien" mean in English?

"Je ne comprends pas bien" means "I don't understand well" in English. Usage tip: [Bien] often means "well," but in [je ne comprends pas bien] it softens the statement: "I don't understand very well / not really." That can sound less blunt than a plain [je ne comprends pas].

Je ne comprends pas bien

zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah bee-AHN

[zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah bee-AHN]

💬 Usage Tip: [Bien] often means "well," but in [je ne comprends pas bien] it softens the statement: "I don't understand very well / not really." That can sound less blunt than a plain [je ne comprends pas].

Phrase Breakdown

[zhuh]

Subject pronoun used when speaking about yourself.

Example

Je ne comprends pas bien la leçon aujourd'hui.

I do not understand the lesson well today.

[nuh]

not

First part of the negative expression ne...pas.

Example

Je ne comprends pas bien cet exercice.

I do not understand this exercise well.

comprends

[kohm-PRAHN]

understand

From comprendre; used for understanding lessons, instructions, or ideas.

Example

Je ne comprends pas bien la question.

I do not understand the question well.

pas

[pah]

not

Second part of ne...pas, making the sentence negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas bien la réponse.

I do not understand the answer well.

bien

[bee-AHN]

well

An adverb meaning well; here it softens the statement to mean not very well.

Example

Je ne comprends pas bien Les fractions.

I do not understand fractions very well.

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