# hear

/ˈhiɹ/ (US) · /hˈiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hear
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to perceive sound

verb · CEFR A1

to notice sounds with your ears.

For teachers: to perceive sound through the auditory nerves. This sense is typically stative and rarely used in the continuous form.

- I could hear the birds singing outside my window early this morning.
- Even through the thick stone walls of the old library, we could hear the distant rumble of the city traffic during the rush hour.

Usage: Usually stative; avoid using in the '-ing' form for physical perception.

### 2. to receive news

verb · CEFR A2

to get information or news about something or someone.

For teachers: to receive information or be told about a specific event or situation.

- I was sorry to hear that you have been feeling unwell lately.
- The board was surprised to hear of the CEO's sudden resignation, as there had been no prior indication of internal conflict.

Usage: Often followed by 'that' or 'of/about'.

### 3. to be contacted by

verb · CEFR B1

to receive a letter, phone call, or message from someone.

For teachers: to receive a communication from a specific person or organisation.

- I haven't heard from my brother in over three weeks.
- The recruitment agency promised that the candidate would hear from the hiring manager regarding the second interview by the end of the week.

Usage: Almost always used with the preposition 'from'.

### 4. legal trial

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to listen to a case in a court of law to make a decision.

For teachers: to listen to a person or a legal case in a formal judicial setting to determine a verdict.

- The Supreme Court will hear the case early next year.
- The judge agreed to hear the witness's testimony in private to protect the identity of the informant during the high-profile trial.

### 5. to understand or agree

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to understand someone's feelings or agree with what they are saying.

For teachers: to acknowledge, sympathise with, or grant a request based on an understanding of the speaker's position.

- I hear what you're saying, but I still think we should wait.
- The manager told the staff that she heard their concerns about the new schedule and would look into making adjustments.

Teaching tip: In modern informal English, 'I hear you' is a common way to show empathy or agreement without necessarily promising to change anything.

### 6. checking for attention

interjection · CEFR B1 · Informal · Dialect

a way to ask if someone is listening or if they understand you.

For teachers: used as a tag question to ensure the interlocutor is paying attention or has understood a command.

- You need to be home by ten o'clock, you hear me?
- Don't you ever go near that old warehouse again, you hear?

Usage: Usually placed at the end of a sentence as a rhetorical question.

## Examples

- I can hear the birds singing outside my window.
- The judge will hear the witness testimony tomorrow morning before making a final decision.
- While the physiological ability to hear is innate for most, the cognitive capacity to listen critically requires a disciplined focus on the nuances of spoken language.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.