French Phrase
J'entends pas bien.
Meaning
Literally, 'I don't hear well.' It is used to tell someone that you are having difficulty hearing, often because of background noise, distance, or a hearing issue.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need someone to repeat themselves, speak louder, or when you want to explain that you can't catch what is being said.
✦Grammar Breakdown
J'entendspasbien
Contraction of je
When 'je' is followed by a vowel or mute 'h', it contracts to 'j'' (e.g., j'entends).
Negative without ne (spoken)
In informal spoken French, the 'ne' of the negative construction is often omitted, leaving just 'pas'.
Entendre conjugation
Entendre is a regular -re verb: je/tu/il/elle/on entends, nous entendons, vous entendez, ils/elles entendent.
Adverb placement
The adverb 'bien' follows the verb phrase and modifies how well the action is performed.
🗨In Conversation
Tu m'entends ?
Can you hear me?
J'entends pas bien, parle un peu plus fort s'il te plaît.
I don't hear well, please speak a little louder.
✕Common Mistakes
Je entends pas bien.
Forgot to contract 'je' before a vowel; it should be 'j'entends'.
J'entends ne pas bien.
The 'ne' should precede the verb, not follow it; correct form is 'Je n'entends pas bien.'
J'entends pas bon.
Use 'bien' (well) to describe hearing, not 'bon' (good).
↔Alternatives
Je n'entends pas très bien.
I don't hear very well.
Je n'entends pas bien du tout.
I don't hear well at all.
Je n'entends pas bien.
I don't hear well.
Cultural Tip
In everyday conversation French speakers often drop the 'ne' in negative sentences, especially with short verbs like entendre. While 'J'entends pas bien' is perfectly natural in speech, in formal writing you should keep the full form: 'Je n'entends pas bien.' Also, using 'bien' after a verb indicates the quality of the action, not a simple 'good' vs 'bad' contrast.