French Phrase
T'as entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Meaning
This informal question asks whether the listener heard the thunder that sounded last night. It conveys curiosity and often leads to a short comment about the storm.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation with friends or family after a storm, when you want to share or compare experiences of the weather. It’s not appropriate in formal settings or with strangers you don’t know well.
✦Grammar Breakdown
T'asentenduletonnerrehiersoir?
Contraction T'as
"T'as" is the spoken contraction of "tu as" (you have) used in informal French.
Past participle entendu
"Entendu" is the past participle of "entendre" and agrees with the auxiliary "avoir"; no agreement needed here.
Definite article le
"Le" specifies a particular thunder, often the one just heard during a storm.
Time expression hier soir
"Hier soir" means "last night" and is a common way to locate an event in the recent past.
🗨In Conversation
T'as entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Did you hear the thunder last night?
Oui, c'était vraiment impressionnant ! J'ai dû fermer les fenêtres.
Yes, it was really impressive! I had to close the windows.
✕Common Mistakes
As entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Missing the subject pronoun; in spoken French you need the contraction "T'as" or the full "Tu as".
T'as entendre le tonnerre hier soir ?
The infinitive "entendre" cannot be used here; you need the past participle "entendu" with the auxiliary "avoir".
T'as entendu un tonnerre hier soir ?
When referring to the specific thunder of a recent storm, the definite article "le" is preferred over the indefinite "un".
↔Alternatives
As‑tu entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Did you hear the thunder last night?
Vous avez entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Did you hear the thunder last night? (polite/plural)
Tu as entendu le tonnerre hier soir ?
Did you hear the thunder last night?
Cultural Tip
Talking about the weather is a classic ice‑breaker in French culture. "Le tonnerre" can also be used figuratively to describe a loud argument or a sudden outburst (e.g., "un tonnerre de protestations"). When speaking to strangers, replace the informal "T'as" with "Vous avez" to keep the tone respectful.