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I'm asking about situations where you expect to hear a bad news but you get a good one, like at a doctor's visit.

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For once, the literal translation works:

  • "Ravi de l'entendre" ou
  • "Je suis ravi d'entendre ça"

Or, as suggested by @Damien, since the news could have been bad but turned out to be good:

  • "Je suis soulagé de l'entendre"
  • "Je suis soulagé d'entendre ça"
  • "Quel soulagement!"

(soulagement = relief)

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    Yes you can, it's a bit less intense than "ravi" but it works very well too. If you want to emphasize the idea of relief, you could also use "soulagé" (relieved). In the context that you described, that is the verb I would use naturally: "Je suis soulagé de voir que ce n'est rien de grave".
    – Reyedy
    Jan 7, 2021 at 8:10
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    @Karlom, no, that's what you would say after a temporary hearing loss. "content d'entendre ça" would work though.
    – vc 74
    Jan 7, 2021 at 8:11
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    @Karlom "Ravi d'entendre" is not idiomatic, not at all.
    – LPH
    Jan 7, 2021 at 9:37
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    @Karlom There are several ways but in general you have to have a complement (ça, le, …): "Ravi de vous l'entendre dire.", "Ravi de vous entendre dire ça.", "Ravi d'entendre ça de votre part."; note that in the last case "dire" is not used. Other possibilities:"Ravi de vous entendre dire ces choses.", "Ravi de vous entendre dire cela."
    – LPH
    Jan 7, 2021 at 9:46
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    @LPH's What makes you believe ravi de l'entendre is not idiomatic ?? or an anglicism ??
    – jlliagre
    Jan 7, 2021 at 15:55

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