French Conversation · Level 5
90 words
French word
hé
Pronunciation
IPA/e/
Meaning
- interjectionhey
Example
Elle a dit hé pour attirer mon attention.
She said "hey" to get my attention.
More examples
Hé, regarde ça.
Hey, look at that.
Core concept
A brief spoken summons aimed at someone within earshot.
Common phrases
hé, regarde
Hey, look
hé, écoute
Hey, listen
Similar words
eh: A short exclamation used to get someone's attention.
oh: A brief exclamation expressing surprise.
Definition in French
S'emploie pour interpeller quelqu'un afin d'attirer son attention ou de l'appeler, surtout à l'oral et en contexte familier.
Word origin
The modern French interjection hé continues an Old French form ultimately linked to Latin hē as a traditional call for attention.
Usage tips
- Hé calls for attention, whereas French eh usually seeks agreement or signals mild surprise, so the two interjections are not interchangeable.
Related words
- hélerhailverb