聞いてる？
kiiteru?
In Japanese, "are you listening?" is said as 聞いてる？ (kiiteru?)
This phrase is used to check if someone is paying attention to what you are saying. It can be used to confirm that someone is following a conversation or to express annoyance if they appear to be ignoring you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite tone, you can use 聞いていますか？, which uses the full verb form and the question particle 'ka' to sound more respectful and less blunt. The most formal way to ask is お聞きになっていますか.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual speech, such as when using 聞いてる？, a rising intonation at the end of the phrase serves as the question marker.
How do you pronounce it?
kiiteru?
Did you know?
- While 聞いてる？ asks if you are listening, Japanese speakers often use the word 相槌 'aizuchi' to prove they are. These are frequent nods and short interjections like うん or へえ that signal active listening.
- There is a specific term for hearing someone but choosing to ignore them: 聞き流す 'kikinagasu'. It literally translates to 'to let the listening flow away', like water passing through a sieve.
- The verb 聞く 'kiku' used in this phrase is a homonym with another 聞く that means 'to ask'. Depending on the context, the same sound can mean 'Are you listening?' or 'Are you asking?', though the kanji characters differ.
Examples in context
- 田中さん、お聞きになっていますか？Tanaka-san, are you listening?
- さやか、聞いてる？Sayaka, are you listening?
- さっきから話してるんだけど、聞いてる？Sakki kara hanashiterun dakedo, kiiteru?I've been talking for a while, are you listening?
- 私の話、ちゃんと聞いてる？Watashi no hanashi, chanto kiiteru?Are you listening to what I'm saying properly?
Example conversation
Yota is talking to Yui, but she is looking at her phone.
- 陽太 Yotaねえ、聞いてる？Nē, kiiteru?Hey, are you listening?
- 結衣 Yuiあ、ごめん！聞いてたよ。A, gomen! Kiiteta yo.Oh, sorry! I was listening.
- 陽太 Yota本当に？もう一度言うね。Hontō ni? Mō ichido iu ne.Really? I'll say it one more time.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、お願い。Un, onegai.Yeah, please.
