dinlemek and duymak: listening versus hearing

The idea

Dinlemek means to give a sound your attention: radyoyu dinliyorum. Duymak means that a sound or a piece of news reaches you, whether you want it or not: sesi duydum. Both take a direct object, so there is no word for “to”: şarkıyı dinlemek, haberi duymak. With duymak the source takes -den: senden duydum.

Examples

• Telefonda seni duymuyorum.I can't hear you on the phone.Duymuyorum simply says that the sound does not reach you. It is the usual way to say you cannot hear someone.
• Sabah sahilde dalgaları dinliyorum.In the morning I listen to the waves on the beach.Paying attention is chosen, so the verb is dinlemek; dalgaları is the direct object with -ı, not “to the waves”.
• Komşunun köpeğini bütün gece duydum.I heard the neighbour's dog all night.
• Yarın akşam konseri dinleyeceğiz.We will listen to the concert tomorrow evening.
• Zil çalıyor ama kimse duymuyor.The doorbell is ringing, but nobody hears it.
• Bu haberi dün akşam duydum.I heard this news yesterday evening.Duymak also means to hear about something: news reaches you from somewhere. Haberi is the direct object.
• Seni duydum ama dinlemek istemiyorum.I heard you, but I don't want to listen.Both verbs side by side: the voice reached you (duydum), but you refuse to give it attention (dinlemek).
• Dün gece yağmurun sesini duydun mu?Did you hear the sound of the rain last night?
• Bu adı ilk kez senden duydum.I heard this name from you for the first time.With duymak the person you heard it from takes -den: senden. The thing heard, adı, takes -ı.

Watch out

Do not use duymak for what you chose to listen to. Müzik duyuyorum says that music is reaching your ears, perhaps from a neighbour; for your own playlist say müzik dinliyorum. The reverse fails too: noise you cannot avoid is duymak, and seni duymuyorum is the normal way to say you cannot hear someone on a bad line.

Try it yourself

1. Fill in the verb: I am listening to the radio on purpose.

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   dinliyorum

   dinliyorum: you choose the radio, so the verb is dinlemek; dinle + -iyor + -um gives dinliyorum.

2. Fill in the verb: Last night I heard the neighbour's voice without trying.

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   duydum

   duydum: the voice reached you without effort, so it is duymak; the past is duy + -du + -m.

3. Fill in the verb: The sound is bad, I can't hear you.

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   duymuyorum / duyamıyorum

   duymuyorum / duyamıyorum: on a bad line the sound does not reach you, which is hearing, so duymak; -mu- makes it negative. duyamıyorum is also correct.

4. Fill in the verb: We are listening to the teacher carefully.

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   dinliyoruz

   dinliyoruz: following the teacher closely is a choice, so dinlemek; -iyor + -uz gives dinliyoruz.

Use it today

Write four sentences about sounds from today: two you listened to on purpose and two that simply reached you. Check that each verb matches your choice.