écouter un frère

You use this phrase just like any other verb-object combo. Since écouter is a regular -er verb, it is very friendly to beginners. You will conjugate it based on who is doing the listening. For example, j'écoute mon frère (I listen to my brother). If you are talking about the act in general, you keep it as écouter. You can also add adverbs to change the vibe. If he is being annoying, you might écouter patiemment (listen patiently). If he is giving a speech, you écouter attentivement (listen attentively). It is a building block for many family-based sentences.

This phrase is perfect for daily life. Use it when describing your family routine to a friend. Use it when a parent asks if you heard what your brother said. It is very common in emotional conversations too. If a friend is having a conflict with their sibling, you might ask, "Do you listen to him?" (Est-ce que tu l'écoutes ?). It also fits perfectly in a text message. If your brother is sending you voice notes, you can text back: J'écoute ton message ! (I am listening to your message).

Avoid using this if you just hear noise in the background. If your brother is shouting in the other room and it’s annoying, use entendre. Écouter implies you want to hear it. Also, be careful with the word frère in very formal religious settings. A monk is also called un frère. Unless you are in a monastery, people will assume you mean your sibling. Finally, don't use it for a female sibling. That would be écouter une sœur. French is very specific about gender!

Family is the bedrock of French social life. The word frère is even in the French national motto: *Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité*. While fraternité means brotherhood in a broad sense, it starts at home. In France, siblings often stay very involved in each other's lives. Listening to a brother is seen as a sign of respect and solidarity. In modern slang, young people use frère like "bro" or "dude." You might hear someone say Écoute, frère... to a friend. It’s a way to show closeness, even if they aren't related.

You can easily swap the subject or the family member. Écouter sa sœur (listen to his/her sister) is the most common variation. You might also hear écouter ses parents (listen to one's parents). If you want to sound more casual, you could use the slang term for brother: frangin. So, écouter son frangin is something you’d say to a close friend. If you are talking about a group, you would say écouter ses frères (listen to one's brothers).