English Reference

hear vs listen

Hear is the physical sense of sound hitting the ear; listen is the mental act of paying attention to that sound.

hear

the involuntary perception of sound

I could hear the neighbors arguing through the thin apartment walls last night.

listen

deliberate attention to a sound

Please listen carefully to these instructions before you begin the exam.

Watch out
  • Can you listen the birds singing in the garden?

    Can you hear the birds singing in the garden?

  • I heard to the podcast during my morning commute.

    I listened to the podcast during my morning commute.

Remember Hear is passive; Listen is an action.

Fill the gap with one of the two options.

  1. 1.

    Did you that strange clicking noise coming from the engine just now?

  2. 2.

    I like to to jazz music while I cook dinner in the evening.

More like this in Everyday pairs.