見える・
Something is in sight, or a sound reaches your ears, without your trying. English says "I can see" and "I can hear". With a description in front, 見える also says how something looks.
in sight
You can see Mt. Fuji clearly from the observation deck.
in earshot
I can hear music from the next room.
how it looks
Seen from a distance, that building looks like a ship.
In sight, in earshot
thing + が + 見える／聞こえる
What you see or hear takes が, not を. Both are ichidan verbs (る-verbs): 見えます, 見えない, 聞こえた.
How it looks
船に見える 静かに見える 広く見える
A noun or な-adjective takes に. An い-adjective changes い to く and has no に.
In sight, in earshot
Nobody is looking or listening on purpose. The thing is simply there to be seen or heard, and the person usually goes unmentioned.
The fog is so thick that you can't see the island across the water.
At the back of the classroom, you can't hear the teacher very well.
I can't see small print without my glasses.
It is also the verb for what your own eyes and ears can manage.
Not said: 窓から
(I can see the mountains from the window.)
山が見えます.
On a phone or video call, this is how people check the line.
Hello, can you hear me?
Sorry, I can't hear you very well.
見える or 見られる?
見られる and 聞ける are the potential forms of 見る and 聞く. They say you have the chance to watch or listen: a film is showing, a concert is on. English says "can see" and "can hear" either way.
You can see the sea from this room.
It is there in front of you.
You can watch that movie online tonight.
You have the chance to watch it.
Sounds split the same way: 音楽が聞こえる (it reaches you), ラジオが聞ける (you get to listen).
Not said: 日本でも
(Can I watch this show in Japan too?)
見られますか.
Seeing or hearing something happen
A whole scene goes in the plain form with のが after it. It is の here, not こと.
From the window, I can see children playing in the park.
How something looks: に見える
With a description in front, 見える says how something looks to the eye, whether or not it really is that way.
This room looks larger than it does in photographs.
In the evening light, the white wall looks pale pink.
My mother looks younger than she is.
私には makes it "to me". After a verb it is ように見える.
To me, this diagram looks more complicated than it really is.
It looks as though it's snowing outside the window.
Close neighbours
The potential form: "can" built into the verb. 見られる and 聞ける are two of them.
I can speak Japanese.
そうだN4
A guess from a look: "looks tasty", "looks expensive". You haven't tasted it or seen the price. に見える is about what meets the eye: bigger, younger, like a ship.
Steam is rising from this soup, and it looks delicious.
ようだ・ようにN4
"It seems", from a clue of any kind, not only from how something looks.
The lights are off. It seems no one is there anymore.
がするN4
音がする says a sound is there. 聞こえる says it reaches your ears.
I heard a strange noise in the hallway a moment ago.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
この
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one fits?
このかばんは
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
に聞こえる
How something sounds works the same way.
It may sound strange, but it's true.
Eyes and ears
With 目 or 耳 in front, they describe someone's sight or hearing.
My grandfather doesn't hear well.
More sentences
From this seat, you can see all the subtitles.
I could hear a baby crying on the other side of the door.
You can't see the sea, but you can hear the waves.
I can hear someone walking around upstairs.
From a distance, this model looks like a real house.
In the photograph, this street looks very quiet.
On rainy days, the forest looks darker than usual.
Onstage, the small box looked like a large rock.