French Phrase
J'ai entendu parler du nouveau plan.
Meaning
The sentence means “I heard about the new plan.” It uses the idiomatic construction entendre parler de, which conveys that the speaker learned of the plan indirectly, usually through conversation or media, rather than experiencing it firsthand.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to mention that you have become aware of a recent policy, project, or idea that others are discussing. It’s common in workplace chats, news discussions, or casual conversations about upcoming changes.
✦Grammar Breakdown
J'aientenduparlerdunouveauplan
J' + ai (Passé composé)
The subject pronoun "je" contracts to "j'" before a vowel, and the auxiliary verb "avoir" (ai) forms the passé composé.
entendu (Past participle)
Entendu is the past participle of entendre and agrees with the auxiliary avoir; no agreement with the subject is needed here.
parler de (Infinitive construction)
"Entendre parler de" means “to hear about” something, using the infinitive parler followed by the preposition de.
du = de + le
"Du" is the contraction of the preposition de and the definite article le, used before masculine singular nouns.
nouveau (Adjective agreement)
The adjective nouveau agrees in gender and number with the noun plan (masculine singular).
plan (Noun)
Plan is a masculine singular noun meaning a scheme, policy, or project.
🗨In Conversation
Tu as entendu parler du nouveau plan ?
Did you hear about the new plan?
Oui, j'ai entendu parler du nouveau plan. Ils vont réduire les heures de travail.
Yes, I heard about the new plan. They're going to cut working hours.
✕Common Mistakes
J'ai entendu parlé du nouveau plan.
The past participle stays in its base form "entendu"; "parlé" is not used here.
J'ai entendu parler du le nouveau plan.
"Du" already contracts "de le"; adding another article is redundant.
J'ai entendu dire du nouveau plan.
"Entendre dire" means you heard someone say something, not just that you heard about a topic.
J'ai entendu parler le nouveau plan.
The verb "entendre" requires the infinitive "parler" followed by "de"; dropping "de" changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
J'ai entendu dire que le nouveau plan sera mis en place bientôt.
I heard that the new plan will be implemented soon.
On m'a parlé du nouveau plan.
I was told about the new plan.
Je suis au courant du nouveau plan.
I'm aware of the new plan.
Cultural Tip
In French, entendre parler de is the go‑to expression for “to hear about” something. It’s more neutral than savoir (to know) and implies the information came from conversation or media. The word plan often refers to a governmental or corporate policy, so using this phrase in a professional setting signals you’re staying informed about organizational changes.