見る concerns visual perception; 聞く concerns sound and can also mean asking.

The idea

Use 映画を見る for watching a film and 音楽を聞く for listening to music. The thing seen or heard is commonly marked by を. In 先生に道を聞く, に marks the person asked and を marks what you ask about.

Patterns to compare
FormExample
見みる映画えいがを見みます
聞きく音楽おんがくを聞ききます
聞きく先生せんせいに道みちを聞ききます

Examples

  • 今日きょう、映画えいがを見みます。I will watch a film today.
  • 家いえでテレビを見みます。I watch television at home.
  • 朝あさ、音楽おんがくを聞ききます。I listen to music in the morning.
  • ラジオでニュースを聞ききます。I listen to the news on the radio.
  • 先生せんせいに道みちを聞ききます。I ask the teacher for directions.
  • 美術館びじゅつかんで絵えを見みます。I look at paintings at the art museum.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

聞く is not only “listen”: context can make it “ask”. Seeing a television programme uses 見る even though it also has sound.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct form: I will watch a film today. 今日きょう、映画えいがを＿＿。（見みます／聞ききます）

    Show answer or example answer

    見ます

    A film is watched, so 映画を見る is the natural choice.

  2. Choose the correct form: I listen to music in the morning. 朝あさ、音楽おんがくを＿＿。（見みます／聞ききます）

    Show answer or example answer

    聞きます

    Music is listened to, so 音楽を聞く fits.

  3. Choose the correct form: I ask the teacher for directions. 先生せんせいに道みちを＿＿。（見みます／聞ききます）

    Show answer or example answer

    聞きます

    The speaker asks a teacher for directions; 聞く can mean “ask”.

Use it today

Say what you watch and listen to, then ask someone for directions.