Hear and listen both involve sound, but one happens automatically and the other takes effort and attention.
Hear means sound reaches your ears, often without trying.
hear full definition →
Listen means paying attention to a sound on purpose.
listen full definition →
| hear | listen | |
|---|---|---|
| Effort involved | None, it just happens | Yes, it takes attention |
| Followed by | No preposition needed | Usually "to": listen to music |
| Simple test | "I heard a sound" just means it reached my ears | "I listened to the sound" means I paid attention to it |
Hear happens automatically, sound reaches your ears. Listen takes effort, you pay attention on purpose.
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