ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hear about

phrasal verb.
A2 Elementary Oxford General-service
Definition

phrasal verb. to get information or news about something or someone.

phrasal verb. to receive information, news, or updates regarding a specific subject, person, or event; typically implies passive reception of information via a third party or media.

SIMPLE

Did you hear about the new restaurant downtown?

CONTEXTUAL

I was shocked to hear about their engagement because they only met last month.

COMPLEX

Investors were anxious to hear about the quarterly earnings report before deciding whether to sell their remaining shares in the company.

  • find out
  • learn of
  • be told
Particles
about
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hear + about + object
Usage

usually followed by a noun or a gerund; often used in the past tense or present perfect.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'hear of' (which implies simple awareness of existence) and 'hear from' (which implies direct communication from a person).

Pitfall

I heard about that he resigned.I heard that he resigned.do not use 'about' when the information is introduced by a 'that' clause; use 'about' only with a noun or gerund.

Last updated April 24, 2026