samaʿ
A1Formal and everyday; it is the standard, neutral, and most common verb in this semantic field.
Definition
Meaning
To perceive sound through the ear; to listen to.
To be told or become aware of information; to comprehend or consider what is said; to obey or pay attention.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Unlike 'listen', which implies conscious effort or attention, 'hear' often implies the passive reception of sound. It is also used to mean 'be informed' or 'be told' and can indicate comprehension (e.g., 'Do you hear me?' means 'Do you understand?').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb itself has no significant difference in meaning. Differences arise in derived forms (e.g., 'hearing' for a legal proceeding is common in both, but certain set phrases like 'heard back' may be slightly more frequent in AmE). Some minor spelling differences in past tense/past participle 'heard' are irrelevant.
Connotations
Identical core connotations. In AmE legal/bureaucratic contexts, 'hear a case' is standard. BrE may use 'try a case' more often in non-formal speech.
Frequency
Extremely high and identical frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
hear + NP (I heard a noise)hear + NP + V-ing/V (I heard him leaving / leave)hear + that-clause (I heard that you're leaving)hear + about/of + NP (Have you heard about the accident?)hear + from + NP (I haven't heard from her)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hear it on the grapevine”
- “hear a pin drop”
- “won't hear of it”
- “hear someone out”
- “be hearing things”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in meetings and communications: 'I hear your concerns.' 'Have you heard back from the client?'
Academic
Common in reported information: 'As we hear from recent studies...'
Everyday
The most frequent context: 'Did you hear that?' 'I can't hear you.'
Technical
In audiology: 'testing to hear frequencies'; in law: 'the court will hear the appeal'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Can you hear me at the back?
- I haven't heard that song in ages.
- They were heard arguing late into the night.
American English
- I didn't hear the doorbell.
- Have you heard the latest podcast?
- Let's hear your side of the story.
adverb
British English
- None standard. 'Hear, hear!' is an interjection, not an adverb.
American English
- None standard. 'Hear, hear!' is an interjection, not an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The hearing community
- A hearing test (commonly a compound noun modifier).
American English
- Hearing-impaired individuals
- A hearing aid (commonly a compound noun modifier).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I can hear a dog barking.
- Did you hear the telephone?
- She hears music every day.
- Have you heard about the new park?
- I heard him come in last night.
- They couldn't hear the speaker clearly.
- Upon hearing the verdict, she burst into tears.
- I've been hearing good things about your work.
- He was shocked to hear that the project had been cancelled.
- The committee will hear evidence from both sides next week.
- Having heard him out, I began to see his perspective.
- It's heartening to hear such eloquence from a young advocate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
You have an EAR, so you can HEAR. The words share the letters 'ear'.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEARING IS RECEIVING ('I hear you' = I receive your message/opinion). UNDERSTANDING IS HEARING ('I hear what you're saying' = I understand).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'hear' for 'listen to music/lecture'. In Russian 'слушать' covers both, but in English 'listen to music' implies active attention, 'hear music' implies passive perception.
- Do not confuse 'hear from' (receive communication from) with 'hear about' (learn information about). 'I heard from John' vs. 'I heard about John'.
- The structure 'hear somebody do/doing something' is often misconstructed.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I am hearing a strange noise' (unless emphasizing ongoing, temporary action). Correct: 'I hear a strange noise.'
- Incorrect: 'I heard him to leave.' Correct: 'I heard him leave/leaving.'
- Incorrect: 'I look forward to hear from you.' Correct: 'I look forward to hearing from you.'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'hear' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hear' is generally passive (sound enters your ears), while 'listen' is active (you pay attention to the sound). 'I heard the radio' (it was on) vs. 'I listened to the radio' (I paid attention to the programme).
Yes, but it's a specific usage. The continuous form 'hearing' is not common for temporary actions (we usually say 'I can hear'). It's used for repeated/habitual perception ('I'm hearing complaints daily') or, idiomatically, to suggest a hallucination ('I'm hearing voices').
It means to receive a letter, call, or message from someone. Example: 'I haven't heard from my brother since last Christmas.'
The past tense and past participle are both 'heard' (pronounced /hɜːrd/ in BrE, /hɝːd/ in AmE).