HEAR vs. LISTEN [TO]   聞く

HOME>Word Master®>HEAR vs. LISTEN [TO]   聞く

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Today we begin a four-part series explaining some differences between several very common words. We're grateful to many of you for suggesting this topic.


To hear something is to be aware of it through your ears.

To listen to something is to give attention to something in order to hear it. 

(Be careful: We use the word listen to say that we ACTIVELY hear something or that we INTEND to hear it. When we simply want to say that we were aware of something through our ears -- without saying whether we were actively giving attention to it -- we use the word hear.)

hearは、音が耳に入ってくる、つまり聞こえるという意味です。

listenは、何かを聞こうとして聞くという意味です。

注意: listenは、積極的に聞こうとして聞く場合に使います。聞こうとする、しないにかかわらず、単に音が耳に入ってくる場合にはhearを使います。

1.I usually listen to music on the radio while I do housework.
  
2.Listen! I think someone is screaming.
  
3.Did you hear that? It sounded like someone screaming.
  
4.The people in the back rows can't hear you. Please turn on the microphone.
  
5.The people in the back rows aren't listening. Some of them are playing cards and others have fallen asleep.
  
6.Put down that magazine and listen to me!
See you tomorrow!