understanding

compréhension, connaissance

Ce que l’on sait d’un sujet et la capacité à bien l’expliquer.

En anglais simple : What you know about something and how well you can explain it.

• I have a basic understanding of French.
• The course improved our understanding of plants.
• What is your understanding of the problem?

Comment l'utiliser : understanding of something (She has a good understanding of local history.)

Synonymes : knowledge, comprehension, grasp

Contraires : misunderstanding

Expressions courantes : understanding of something, basic understanding, better understanding, human understanding

compréhension

Capacité ou volonté de comprendre les sentiments d’une personne et de la traiter avec bienveillance.

En anglais simple : The ability or willingness to recognize how someone feels and treat them kindly.

• Thank you for your understanding.
• The teacher treated him with understanding.
• We need more understanding between parents and children.

Comment l'utiliser : understanding for someone/something (She showed understanding for his difficulties.)

Synonymes : sympathy, empathy

Expressions courantes : show understanding, patience and understanding, understanding for someone

accord, entente

Accord entre personnes, souvent conclu sans contrat écrit.

En anglais simple : An agreement between people, often made without a written contract.

• We have an understanding.
• They reached an understanding about the rent.
• Our understanding was that you would finish by Friday.

Comment l'utiliser : understanding that… (We had an understanding that I would pay for the food.)

Synonymes : agreement, arrangement

Contraires : disagreement

Expressions courantes : reach an understanding, mutual understanding, have an understanding

entendement, intelligence

Capacité de penser clairement, de résoudre des problèmes et d’en saisir le sens.

En anglais simple : The ability to think clearly, work things out, and recognize their meaning.

• Her understanding remained sharp.
• These questions test a child's powers of understanding.
• The philosopher explored the limits of human understanding.

Synonymes : intellect, reason, intelligence

Expressions courantes : powers of understanding, human understanding, limited understanding

compréhensif

Qui comprend les sentiments et les difficultés des autres et les traite avec bienveillance.

En anglais simple : Able to recognize other people's feelings and problems and treat them kindly.

• My teacher is very understanding.
• She was understanding when I arrived late.
• Try to be more understanding about his worries.

Comment l'utiliser : understanding about something (My manager was understanding about my family problems.)

Synonymes : sympathetic, considerate, kind

Contraires : unsympathetic

Expressions courantes : understanding friend, very understanding, understanding about something