French Phrase
Écoute les alertes d'urgence.
Meaning
This sentence tells someone to pay attention to the emergency alerts that are being broadcast. It is a direct, informal command, often used in urgent situations when quick action is needed. The phrase can refer to alerts on a phone, radio, TV, or public address system.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to warn a friend, family member, or colleague to listen to a sudden emergency broadcast, such as a weather warning, a security alert, or a public safety announcement. It is appropriate in informal contexts; in formal or plural settings you would say « Écoutez les alertes d'urgence ».
✦Grammar Breakdown
Écoutelesalertesd'urgence.
Imperative (2nd person singular)
Écoute is the informal command form of the verb écouter, used when speaking to one person you know well.
Definite article les
Les is the plural definite article, used here because alertes is plural.
Feminine plural noun
Alertes is a feminine noun; its plural form adds -s, which is silent in pronunciation.
Prepositional phrase d'urgence
d' is the contraction of de before a vowel; urgence is a feminine singular noun meaning ‘emergency’.
🗨In Conversation
Écoute les alertes d'urgence, il faut évacuer le bâtiment immédiatement !
Listen to the emergency alerts, we need to evacuate the building immediately!
D'accord, je prends mes affaires et je sors tout de suite.
Okay, I’ll grab my things and leave right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Écoutez les alertes d'urgencees.
Alertes is already plural; adding -es is incorrect and the article should stay singular.
Écoute les alertes d'urgences.
Urgence is singular; the prepositional phrase should be d'urgence, not d'urgences.
Écoute le alertes d'urgence.
The article must agree in number and gender: use les for plural alertes.
↔Alternatives
Prête attention aux alertes d'urgence.
Pay attention to the emergency alerts.
Sois attentif aux alertes d'urgence.
Be attentive to the emergency alerts.
Écoutez les alertes d'urgence.
Listen to the emergency alerts. (formal or plural)
Cultural Tip
France has a national emergency alert system called SAIP (Système d'Alerte et d'Information des Populations). Alerts are sent via SMS, radio, TV, and smartphone notifications. When you hear an alert, it’s customary to stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions immediately. Using the informal imperative (Écoute) is common among peers, but in workplaces or with strangers, the formal form (Écoutez) is preferred.