What's the difference between HEAR and LISTEN?

Question

In this sentence, "I LISTEN to music".
Why can't I say, "I HEAR to music"?

Answer 1

First of all, different verbs require different prepositions. Hear is what is called a transitive verb: it has to have an object. Listen on the other hand is intransitive and can never take an object, but is often paired with the preposition "to." That's the grammatical explanation.

As far as meaning goes, hearing refers more to a general action, like your sense of hearing. Listening is a specific action, usually that involves your attention over a period of time. Think about the differences between saying "I'm listening to music" and "I hear music" and that should make sense.

Answer 2

Do you think there is a difference between hearing and listening? You are right, there is! Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning.

Most people tend to be "hard of listening" rather than "hard of hearing."

Answer 3

I listen to music...means I listen and pay attention to it...I hear music can not have the word to in the sentence...but it would refer to hearing music once. Listening to music in your sentence would be something you do often, not just once.

Answer 4

Well, listening to music would be to hear and pay attention to it. If you hear music, that is what people usually say if all of a sudden they hear music playing, you know what I mean?

Answer 5

different parts of speech. hear is an irregular verb. listen is a verb.
more to that listen is done to the music where hear is being done to by the music. you listen this is an action which is going to be or is done. hear is something arriving at you. Did you hear that? I can hear music.I hear the music? (Did you listen that? I can listen music.)Does not sound right.
Listen is an intransitive verb and hear is a transitive verb, I think.

Answer 6

IF you listen to music you are focusing your attention on the music, while hearing is you just "hear" it, like in the background.

Answer 7

“I hear music” means that you are not paying attention to it, but nevertheless you are still hearing it. Like when you hear a dog barking, you hear it, but you don’t listen to it because it’s annoying.

“I listen to music” implies that you are actually paying attention to what you’re listening. As in I will listen to what you have to say. Or I will listen to music.

Answer 8

Because you can HEAR the music, whether you LISTEN to it or not.
"Hear" simply means you are aware of a sound
"Listen" is paying attention to that sound and reacting to it's importance.content/etc

Answer 9

to listen is more active and purposeful. It is something you put more attention and focus on. To hear something is more the actual fact that your ears have picked up sound, you can accidentally hear something because it is not a choice, listening is a choice you cannot accidentally listen to something.

Answer 10

"I hear to music." is just improper grammar. You could say "I am hearing music." Or "I hear music." but both of those imply that your neighbors radio is on too loud or something. If you say, "I listen to music." It implies that you do this on purpose, that you like music.