phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

listen to

to pay attention aurally

What it means

To pay attention to a sound, person, or piece of audio with your ears. It implies active attention, not just hearing background noise.

Examples

  • I love listening to podcasts about history while I cook dinner.
  • You should listen to your grandmother — she knows what she's talking about.
  • The students listened to the recording twice before answering the questions.
  • He never listens to me when I try to give him advice about money.

Where it comes from

Inseparable phrasal verb. Compare with 'hear' (passive perception) versus 'listen to' (active attention) — a key distinction in English.

Related phrasal verbs

#look at#speak up#wait for#ask for

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