auscultō
The English verb 'listen' can be translated into Latin using several different forms, most commonly auscultō. Wiktionary also lists audiō and exaudio.
Meaning: to pay attention to a sound (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| auscultō | |
| audiō | |
| exaudio | [ɛkˈsau̯.di.oː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [eɡˈzaːu̯.di.o] (narrow) |
In Latin, the core meaning involves paying attention to a sound.
Which one should you use?
The term audiō is the most common and general word used for both 'to hear' and 'to listen'. In contrast, auscultō implies a more careful, attentive or even clinical style of listening. If you want to emphasize the specific effort of listening or the clarity of the sound being heard, use exaudio.
Did you know?
- The word 'auditor' in English, which once meant a person listening to a lecture, shares the same root as audiō.
- While audiō is general, the verb auscultō is the root of the English 'auscultation', a term used by doctors to describe listening to the heart or lungs with a stethoscope.
- The Latin root of audiō is actually connected to the ancient Proto-Indo-European root for 'ear', linking the action of listening directly to the organ itself.
Examples in context
- Audi, amice!Listen, my friend!
- Ausculta, numquam hoc audivi!Listen, I've never heard this before!
Example conversation
Aurelia and Quintus are in a quiet garden.
- AureliaVentum in arboribus auscultō.I am listening to the wind in the trees.
- QuintusEgo quoque id audio.I hear it too.
- AureliaAuscultā, sonat sicut vox humana.Listen, it sounds like a human voice.
- QuintusNihil audio, Aurelia.I hear nothing, Aurelia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “listen” translations and entries exaudio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries exaudio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
