הִקְשִׁיב
hikshív
To say listen in Hebrew, use the verb הִקְשִׁיב (hikshív). Another verb is הֶאֱזִין (he'ezín). If unsure, use הִקְשִׁיב.
Meaning: to pay attention to a sound (verb)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| הִקְשִׁיב | hikshív |
| הֶאֱזִין | he'ezín |
הִקְשִׁיב means to pay attention to a sound or to a person speaking. It describes listening on purpose.
Which one should you use?
הִקְשִׁיב is active listening with intent, while לשמוע is to hear, the passive ability to take in sound.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form הִקְשִׁיב is the masculine singular past, he listened. The feminine singular past is הִקְשִׁיבָה. The masculine singular present, listening, is מַקְשִׁיב. To say listen to someone or something, put the preposition ל after the verb, as in להקשיב ל…
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as hikshív, with the stress on the last syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not leave out the preposition. Listening to a person or a sound needs ל before the thing you listen to.
Did you know?
- The Shema prayer uses שמע (shma), the word for 'hear', to mean both hearing and obeying. This merges the physical act of listening with the moral act of following a command.
- In military or highly formal settings, the word הקשב (hakshév) functions as a command for immediate silence and total attention.
- The verb הִקְשִׁיב shares a root with the word for 'attention' קֶשֶׁב, suggesting that listening is an act of binding your attention to a sound.
Examples in context
- נא להקשיב להוראות שלי.Please listen to my instructions.
- אנא הקשיבו לתזכורת שלי.Kindly listen to my reminder.
- שמע! יש לי משהו לומר לך.Listen! I have something to tell you.
- הוא הִקְשִׁיב למוזיקה שקטה.hu hikshiv le-musika shketah.He listened to quiet music.
- הִקְשִׁיב לרוח ששרקה בלילה.hikshiv la-ruach she-sharkah ba-laila.He listened to the wind whistling at night.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “listen” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
