Transcript

It's a mistake I hear even from people who speak French very well. I hear the neighbor's dog barking every morning, and I'm sick of it.

"I heard Rihanna's latest single on the radio", but on the other hand I'll say "I listened to Rihanna's latest single on Spotify".

Welcome to our new French video. Today we're going to talk about the difference between hearing and listening. This is a mistake I hear very often when non-French speakers talk. They'll use one or the other, but not in the right way and I totally understand because the difference can be quite fine depending on the context. So in this video, we're going to see what the difference is and how to use the right verb in the right place.

If you're new to French, I'm Elisabeth. On this channel, I post videos to help you progress in French every week. Hearing and listening. In both cases, we're talking about sounds that come into our ears...

But there's a difference in action between hearing and listening. It's a mistake I hear even from people who speak French very well, who have integrated the language very well.

Because I think that... nobody corrects you, because we understand very well what you're saying, even if it's not correct. It's still important for you to understand the difference.

First of all, let's focus on "listening". When I listen, I'm active, so it's something I do. I'm going to concentrate on listening. I'm making an effort. So if I'm listening to a podcast, it's not my sister listening in the next room. No, it's me, I've decided to put on this podcast and listen to what's being said.

Likewise, I can say "I'm listening to my husband telling me about his day at work" or "I'm listening to my French teacher". So you pay attention to what's being said. You're active, the sounds enter your ear, but you choose it.

Let's move on to the verb "to hear". When we hear we are passive, we don't really choose to listen.

The sounds go into our ears all by themselves. So that's exactly what I was saying. I can hear my sister in the next room listening to a podcast. So she's listening. I can hear. I hear the noise, I hear the sounds. For example, if someone says to me, "Can you hear the music on the radio? I can say no, "I can't hear it, the sound is too low".

I can also say "I hear the neighbor's dog barking every morning, I've had enough". You're passive. It's pretty straightforward here. But there are situations where it's a little more complex, where it's more a question of the finesse of the language. For example, I might say to my husband who's been away on business for a week: "I'd like to call you, I'd like to hear your voice". Of course, when he talks to you, you're going to listen to him talk. But if you put yourself in a position where you're passive, no matter what he says, you want to hear the sound of his voice.

So you don't need very strong concentration. That's why I don't say "I want to listen to your voice". Here's another example where it can also sound a bit complex, and you'll see the finesse of the language. I can say "I heard Rihanna's latest single on the radio", but on the other hand I'll say "I listened to Rihanna's latest single on Spotify".

So if you've heard it, it's been in your ears, you've heard it on the radio. On the other hand, when I go on Spotify and do the thing, I look for Rihanna's new single. I put it on voluntarily, so you've listened. You've taken the step to discover this single.

I heard it on the radio, but I listened to it on Spotify or YouTube, whatever. I'll give you some examples where both verbs are present, so you'll understand the difference. I heard some noise outside, people chatting. I went over to the window to listen in.

I heard the noise, but I listened to their conversation. I don't listen to music while I work, but I often hear the neighbors' music. A little more information on the verb entendre, which is also sometimes used as a synonym for the verb comprendre.

So I can tell someone who's explaining something to me. Yes, I hear what you're saying. In this case, it means you've understood what the person has said. So it's not just that the sounds have entered your ears. You want to say that you've understood.

Another example is if someone says to you "I can't stand my boss anymore, I want to quit my job". You could reply, "I hear you, but what are you going to do next? If I hear you right, do you want to go back to school?"

So you see, here, hearing is used as a synonym for understanding.

That's it for today, I hope you've enjoyed this video, and that it's enabled you to better differentiate between these two verbs. If you liked it, of course, give it a like and I'll see you soon for the next video.