Japanese verb 聞こえる: sounds within hearing

The idea

聞こえる is an ichidan intransitive verb. The sound normally takes が; から can mark where it comes from. It can also describe how something sounds or seems. Drop る to form 聞こえます and 聞こえて.

Examples

• 隣となりの部屋へやから音楽おんがくが聞きこえます。Music can be heard from the next room.
• ここから鳥とりの声こえがよく聞きこえます。You can hear birds clearly from here.
• 雨あめの音おとで、先生せんせいの声こえが聞きこえません。I cannot hear the teacher’s voice because of the rain.
• さっき外そとで大おおきな音おとが聞きこえました。I heard a loud sound outside a moment ago.
• もっと静しずかにすると、波なみの音おとが聞きこえます。If we are quieter, we can hear the waves.
• その話はなしは本当ほんとうに聞きこえますが、確認かくにんしましょう。That story sounds true, but let’s check.

Watch out

聞く usually describes listening deliberately or asking; 聞こえる describes a sound being audible, whether or not you are listening. Do not mark the sound with を in this pattern.

Try it yourself

1. 聞きこえる → ます：＿

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   聞こえます

   聞こえます is the polite non-past form: remove る and add ます.

2. 聞きこえる → て：＿

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   聞こえて

   聞こえて is the て form: remove る and add て.

3. 隣となりの部屋へやから音楽おんがく＿聞きこえます。（が／を）

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   が

   が marks 音楽 as the sound that is audible; から marks its source.

Use it today

Describe a sound you can hear from your room, then make the sentence negative.