Translation guide
The act of paying attention to sound or speech. In Japanese, different words and patterns are used depending on whether you mean hearing sounds, listening to music or audio, listening actively to a person, or the skill of listening comprehension.
To listen to music, radio, a recording, or ambient sounds.
General verb for listening to something. Can also mean 'to hear' or 'to ask'. Use with particle を for the thing listened to.
音楽を聞くのが好きです。
I like listening to music.
I studied while listening to the radio.
Often used for listening to music or audio attentively, with a nuance of appreciation. Not used for casual hearing. Same reading as 聞く.
I listened quietly to classical music.
Literally 'to incline one's ear'. Means to listen carefully, often to faint sounds or to what someone is saying.
He listened carefully to the chirping of the birds.
To pay attention to what someone is saying, often in conversation or instruction.
The most common way to say 'listen to someone'. Literally 'listen to talk/story'. Use with person + の + 話を聞く.
Please listen carefully to your friend's story.
Listen properly to what the teacher says.
Literally 'to lend an ear'. Means to listen to someone, often implying giving them your attention for a while.
Formal term for attentive listening, often used in counseling or professional contexts.
A counselor listens attentively to the client's story.
The skill of understanding spoken language, often in the context of studying a foreign language.
Loanword from English, widely used in language education for listening comprehension exercises.
I want to improve my English listening skills.
Native Japanese term for listening comprehension. Often used in educational settings.
Also a loanword, but less common than リスニング. Sometimes used interchangeably, but リスニング is more standard for language learning.
To perceive sound without necessarily paying attention; the sense of hearing.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be audible' or 'can hear'. Used when sound reaches your ears naturally, not when you actively listen.
I can hear music from the next room.
Can also mean 'to hear' in certain contexts, but 聞こえる is clearer for passive perception.
To listen to a conversation or sounds without the speaker's knowledge.
聞く is the general verb for both 'listen' and 'hear'. 聴く is used specifically for listening to music or audio with attention and appreciation. In everyday writing, 聞く is almost always sufficient.
listen to music (general) / listen to music (attentively)
English distinguishes between active 'listen' and passive 'hear'. In Japanese, 聞く can cover both, but 聞こえる is specifically for passive hearing. Use 聞こえる when you want to emphasize that sound reaches your ears without effort.
When you want to say 'listen to me' or 'listen to someone', the most natural phrase is 話を聞く (listen to what someone says). Simply saying 私を聞いて is unnatural.
Are you listening to me?
I love listening to podcasts.
She has good listening skills.
ちょっと耳を貸してくれる？
Can you listen to me for a moment?
Today's class is a listening test.
聞き取りの練習を毎日しています。
I practice listening comprehension every day.
ヒアリングの教材を探しています。
I'm looking for listening materials.
I'm hard of hearing and can't hear well.
I heard a strange sound.