In German, the verbs hören and zuhören distinguish between the passive act of hearing and the active process of listening.
- hören: to hear (perceive sound, often passively)
- zuhören: to listen (pay attention, focus on what is being said)
hören
hören expresses the simple reception of sound—no effort or attention is implied. It is used when you just “hear” something, whether you want to or not.
- Subject does the perceiving: Ich höre Musik. (I hear music.)
- No focus on understanding, just sound reaches you.
- Can be used reflexively: sich hören (to hear oneself)
zuhören
zuhören describes actively focusing on sounds, especially spoken words. It’s about following, understanding, and paying attention—not just catching the noise.
- Requires attention from the subject: Ich höre dir zu. (I’m listening to you.)
- Often used with a dative object (the person you listen to): Du solltest dem Lehrer zuhören.
- Emphasizes comprehension, not just reception
| verb | meaning | focus | example | object type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hören | to hear | passive sound | Ich höre Musik. | accusative (thing heard) |
| zuhören | to listen | active focus | Ich höre dir zu. | dative (person listened to) |
'zuhören' is correct, because it refers to the active process of listening.
'hören' expresses the passive act of hearing.
'zuhören' is used with a dative object for the person you listen to.
hören: Usage, Conjugation, and Examples
hören is a regular verb (ich höre, du hörst, er hört...). It refers to perceiving sounds and is typically used with things you hear, not people you listen to attentively.
- Subject: Person who hears
- Object: Sound or music (Accusative)
- No need for attention; just perceiving sound
hören Conjugation (Present)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | höre |
| du | hörst |
| er/sie/es | hört |
| wir | hören |
| ihr | hört |
| sie/Sie | hören |
hören Examples
- Ich höre das Radio. (I hear the radio.)
- Hörst du die Vögel? (Do you hear the birds?)
- Sie hören jeden Tag Nachrichten. (They hear news every day.)
'hören' is perfect for music or any sounds heard.
'hören' covers the passive reception of sound.
'hören' is used for music, noise, and instructions heard— not for listening attentively to advice.
zuhören: Usage, Conjugation, and Examples
zuhören is a separable verb (ich höre zu, du hörst zu...). It means to listen attentively and requires the listener to focus. The person or group you listen to gets the dative case.
- Focus on: Paying attention to (listening FOR understanding)
- Common with: People or speakers (dative)
- Object: The person/group you listen to (dative)--not what you "listen to" as a thing
zuhören Conjugation (Present)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | höre zu |
| du | hörst zu |
| er/sie/es | hört zu |
| wir | hören zu |
| ihr | hört zu |
| sie/Sie | hören zu |
zuhören Examples
- Kannst du mir zuhören? (Can you listen to me?)
- Wir hören dem Lehrer zu. (We listen to the teacher.)
- Hört ihr den Gästen zu? (Are you listening to the guests?)
'zuhören' is the right choice when you listen to someone attentively, like a teacher.
'zuhören' applies to active listening to lectures or conversations, not passive hearing of music.
'zuhören' requires more attention because it means to listen actively.
Summary
| Aspect | hören | zuhören |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Meaning | to hear (sound reception) | to listen (pay attention) |
| Active/Passive | Passive | Active |
| Object | Accusative (things/sounds) | Dative (person you listen to) |
| Focus | No (just perceiving sound) | Yes (focusing on what’s said) |
| Example | Ich höre Musik. | Ich höre dir zu. |
'hören' is for sounds you perceive, not for active listening.
'zuhören' is used when you listen attentively to someone.
Use 'zuhören' when listening to advice, because it requires attention.
Conclusion
hören and zuhören highlight the difference between passively perceiving sounds and actively engaging with what you hear.
- hören = “to hear,” focusing on sounds entering your ears (passive).
- zuhören = “to listen,” emphasizing active attention (requires focus).
- Use hören for sounds or music; use zuhören when you focus on someone speaking.