聞(き)こえる

きこえる

verb (ichidan)

to be heard, to be audible

See also: 聞(き)く (hear, listen)

Conjugation

	Affirmative	Negative
Present	聞(き)こえる	聞(き)こえない
Present polite	聞(き)こえます	聞(き)こえません
Past	聞(き)こえた	聞(き)こえなかった
Past polite	聞(き)こえました	聞(き)こえませんでした
て form	聞(き)こえて	聞(き)こえなくて
ている present	聞(き)こえている	聞(き)こえていない
ている polite	聞(き)こえています	聞(き)こえていません
ている past	聞(き)こえていた	聞(き)こえていなかった
ている past polite	聞(き)こえていました	聞(き)こえていませんでした
Conditional ば	聞(き)こえれば	聞(き)こえなければ
Conditional たら	聞(き)こえたら	聞(き)こえなかったら
Volitional	聞(き)こえよう	—
Volitional polite	聞(き)こえましょう	—
Causative	聞(き)こえさせる	聞(き)こえさせない
Imperative	聞(き)こえろ	聞(き)こえるな

1. to be heard, to be audible

For a sound to reach one's ears and be perceivable. The intransitive/potential form of hearing.

鳥(とり)の声(こえ)が聞(き)こえる。

I can hear birds singing.

が marks what is heard

隣(となり)の部屋(へや)から音楽(おんがく)が聞(き)こえてきた。

Music could be heard coming from the next room.

聞(き)こえてくる = come to be heard

電話(でんわ)の声(こえ)が小(ちい)さくてよく聞(き)こえなかった。

The voice on the phone was quiet and I couldn't hear it well.

遠(とお)くから太鼓(たいこ)の音(おと)が聞(き)こえてきて、お祭(まつ)りが始(はじ)まったのだと分(わ)かった。

I heard the sound of drums from far away and knew the festival had started.

2. to sound like, to seem

To give the impression of a certain quality when heard.

それは言(い)い訳(わけ)に聞(き)こえる。

That sounds like an excuse.

〜に聞(き)こえる = sound like ~

彼(かれ)の話(はなし)は冗談(じょうだん)に聞(き)こえたが、本気(ほんき)だった。

His story sounded like a joke, but he was serious.

彼女(かのじょ)の言葉(ことば)は冷(つめ)たく聞(き)こえたが、本当(ほんとう)は心配(しんぱい)していたのだ。

Her words sounded cold, but she was actually worried.

TRANSITIVITY: 自動詞(じどうし) (intransitive). This is the spontaneous/potential form related to 聞(き)く (to hear/listen). Pattern: Xが聞(き)こえる (X can be heard).

ASPECT: ている indicates ongoing state. 聞(き)こえている = 'can be heard' (continuous).

COMMON PATTERNS:

声(こえ)が聞(き)こえる (a voice can be heard)
音(おと)が聞(き)こえる (a sound can be heard)
よく聞(き)こえない (can't hear well)
聞(き)こえてくる (come to be heard, start hearing)
〜に聞(き)こえる (sound like ~)

CONTRAST:

聞(き)く: active listening/asking (transitive)
聞(き)こえる: passive hearing, audibility (intransitive)

RELATED PAIR: 見(み)る → 見(み)える (see → be visible) follows the same pattern.

general

Added 2026.1.8 21:37 · Revised 2026.4.10 15:41

01000/01229_kikoeru