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How to Say ‘Sorry, I don't understand.’ in French

Pardon, je ne comprends pas.

par-DOHN zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah

[par-DOHN zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah]

Phrase Breakdown

Pardon,

par-DOHN

Sorry,

Polite way to interrupt or apologize. Say it 'par-DOHN', with a nasal ending.

Example

Pardon, madame.

Excuse me, madam.

Words in this phrase

Pardon

[par-DOHN]

sorry / excuse me / pardon

Short, polite word to apologize, get past someone, or ask someone to repeat.

Example

Pardon, je peux passer ?

Excuse me, can I get by?

je ne comprends pas.

zhuh nuh kohm-PRAHN pah

I don't understand.

Full negation 'ne… pas' around the verb. Say it smoothly: 'zhuh nuh kom-prahn pah'.

Example

Je ne comprends pas la question.

I don't understand the question.

Words in this phrase

je

[zhuh]

I

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

ne

[nuh]

not

Used to make a negative.

Example

Je ne sais pas.

I do not know.

comprends

[kohm-PRAHN]

understand

Form of 'comprendre' used with 'je'.

Example

Je comprends l'exercice.

I understand the exercise.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

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