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Sorry, I Didn't Catch That: Hearing and Asking Again

Ask people to repeat, slow down or speak up, deal with a bad phone line, and get your hearing checked in France.

French people speak fast and run words together, so asking someone to repeat is normal: « Pardon ? » or « Vous pouvez répéter ? » is polite, while a bare « Quoi ? » sounds rude outside close friends. For a hearing problem you see your GP first, then an ORL (ear, nose and throat specialist), and an audioprothésiste fits hearing aids. Under the 100 % Santé reform, a basic range of hearing aids is fully covered by the Assurance Maladie plus your mutuelle.

A woman in a beret with a coffee, enjoying a relaxed moment at a Parisian café.
Photo: Bethany Ferr on Pexels
  1. 1

    Pardon ?

    Sorry?

    Tip: The polite one-word way to ask someone to say it again.

  2. 2

    Vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

    Could you repeat that, please?

  3. 3

    Vous pourriez parler un peu plus lentement ?

    Could you speak a bit more slowly?

  4. 4

    J'ai pas saisi le dernier mot.

    I didn't catch the last word.

  5. 5

    Vous pouvez parler un peu plus fort ?

    Could you speak up a bit?

  6. 6

    Je vous entends mal.

    I can't hear you very well.

  7. 7

    Ça coupe.

    The line is breaking up.

    Tip: Said on the phone when the signal is bad.

  8. 8

    Je vous rappelle, je capte mal.

    I'll call you back, I've got no signal.

  9. 9

    Vous pouvez m'épeler votre nom ?

    Could you spell your name?

  10. 10

    Vous voulez dire mardi ou jeudi ?

    Do you mean Tuesday or Thursday?

  11. 11

    Il y a vraiment beaucoup de bruit ici.

    It's really noisy in here.

  12. 12

    Sortons, j'entends rien.

    Let's go outside, I can't hear a thing.

  13. 13

    Excusez-moi, je suis un peu dur d'oreille.

    Sorry, I'm a bit hard of hearing.

  14. 14

    J'ai des sifflements dans les oreilles.

    I have a ringing in my ears.

  15. 15

    J'entends mal de l'oreille gauche.

    I can't hear well out of my left ear.

  16. 16

    Je crois que j'ai l'oreille bouchée.

    I think my ear is blocked.

  17. 17

    Il faut consulter un ORL.

    You need to see an ENT specialist.

    Tip: A specialist for ears, nose and throat.

  18. 18

    On va faire un test auditif.

    We're going to do a hearing test.

  19. 19

    Les appareils auditifs sont remboursés ?

    Are hearing aids reimbursed?

  20. 20

    Ah, là, je comprends !

    Ah, now I get it!