Top Hints & Tips
What's the difference between
2011-07-11
We use hear for sounds that come to our ears, without us necessarily trying to hear them. E.g.: She hears weird noises all the time. Listen is used to describe paying attention to sounds that are going on. E.g.: I always listen to music while I'm driving. (Note: "listen" is often followed by "TO")
In other words, you can hear something without wanting to, but you can only listen to something intentionally. So, next time you're on the phone with a friend who speaks low, do not say "I can't listen to you", say "I can't hear you" instead!
Flávia Romão
UNS Franchising