きこえる / きける

きこえる / きける Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Group 2 Verb

Essential Meaning: Audible / Can be heard (indicates passive auditory potentiality)

Construction: Group 2 Verb

Notes:

• There is a subtle and important distinction to be made between 聞きこえる (a group 2 verb indicating auditory potentiality) and 聞きける (the potential form of 聞きく [To hear]).

• 聞きこえる indicates a passive auditory potentiality. In other words, something can be heard without the hearer making an active effort or decision to hear, and the hearer is unable to alter the situation. For example, if you can hear your neighbor’s music through the wall, the music is audible independent of your volition. Or, if someone is speaking too quietly, you have no potential to hear them even if you try. 聞きこえる is often used to refer to one’s sense of hearing (or lack thereof).
  • E.g. 耳みみが聞きこえない。[My ears have no potential to hear (i.e. I’m deaf).] In this case, the speaker has no potential to hear through their ears.

• 聞きける, on the other hand, indicates that the subject can actively or purposefully hear something. For example, if you go on Youtube you can choose to hear many Japanese songs. If you buy a pair of wireless headphones, you can listen to music while you run. In short, 聞きける is used when the hearer deliberately puts his or her self in the position where they are able to hear something.
  • E.g. いいステレオを買かったからレコードが聞きける。[Because I bought a nice stereo, I can listen to records.] In this case, the speaker puts himself in the position to hear records by means of the stereo.

• Sometimes, the choice between 聞きこえる and 聞きける depends on whether the speaker perceives the situation as being alterable or inalterable. In other words, if the speaker has the ability to alter the situation so that they can hear or they can no longer hear, 聞きける is appropriate. But if they have no ability to change the situation, 聞きこえる is appropriate.
  • E.g. 音楽おんがくがうるさくて話はなしが聞きこえない。[The music is so loud that the conversation is inaudible (and there’s nothing we can do about it).] Due to the presence of 聞きこえる, the situation is apparently unalterable.
  • E.g. 音楽おんがくがうるさくて話はなしが聞きけない。[The music is so loud that we can’t hear the conversation (and there’s something we can do about it by turning down the volume or by moving elsewhere).] Due to the presence of 聞きける, the situation is apparently alterable.

Example Sentences:

私わたしはウグイスの声こえがよく聞きこえる。[For me, the nightingale’s sounds are very audible.]

その音おとは小ちいさすぎて聞きこえない。[That sound is too quiet to be heard.]

大山おおやまさんの声こえは大おおきいので隣となりの部屋へやの人ひとにもよく聞きこえる。[Oyama-san’s voice is so loud that even the people in the neighboring room can hear it.]

私わたしにはお寺てらのかねの音おとが聞きこえたが、弟おとうとには聞きこえなかった。[For me, the temple’s bell was audible. But for my little brother, it was inaudible.]

テーラーさんの作つくった文ぶんは変へんに聞きこえる。[The sentences that Tara made sound strange.]

WILD Examples:

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