듣다
deutda[tɯt̚t͈a̠]
To listen in Korean is 듣다 (deutda).
The verb 듣다 is used to mean both paying attention to a sound (to listen) and the act of perceiving a sound (to hear). In English, these are often two different verbs, but in Korean, one verb covers both meanings.
Meaning: to pay attention to a sound (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 듣다 follows a 'ㄷ' irregular conjugation rule. This means that when it is conjugated into the polite informal style, it becomes 들어요 (listen / is listening). In the informal past tense, it becomes 들었어 (listened).
How do you pronounce it?
deutda
Did you know?
- When someone says 말이 안 듣다, they are not saying they cannot hear. This phrase is used to describe a machine that is malfunctioning or a person who is being stubborn.
- The word 듣다 is a homonym with another verb that means 'to bear' or 'to withstand'. While they look the same in the dictionary, they are used in completely different contexts, such as enduring a hardship.
- In Korean, the verb 듣다 is used for both 'listening' and 'obeying' when referring to instructions. Telling a child to 말을 듣다 literally means to 'listen to words' but translates as 'behave' or 'obey'.
Examples in context
- 선생님, 들어 주세요.Teacher, please listen.
- 친구야, 들어!Hey, listen!
- 알겠어, 내가 듣고 있어.Okay, I am listening.
- 음악을 듣다.eum-ak-eul deut-da.Listen to music.
- 라디오를 듣다.ra-di-o-reul deut-da.Listen to the radio.
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are in a quiet room.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 이 소리 들어요?do-hyeon ssi, i so-ri deu-reo-yo?Dohyun, do you hear this sound?
- 도현 Do-hyeon아니요, 아무것도 안 들려요.a-ni-yo, a-mu-geot-do an deu-ryeo-yo.No, I don't hear anything.
- 수빈 Su-bin다시 한번 잘 듣다 보세요.da-si han-beon jal deut-da bo-se-yo.Try to listen carefully one more time.
- 도현 Do-hyeon아, 이제 들려요!a, i-je deu-ryeo-yo!Oh, I hear it now!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “listen” translations and entries 듣다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
