聞(き)き取(と)る

ききとる

godan verb

to catch, to make out, to hear clearly

Conjugation

	Affirmative	Negative
Present	聞(き)き取(と)る	聞(き)き取(と)らない
Present polite	聞(き)き取(と)ります	聞(き)き取(と)りません
Past	聞(き)き取(と)った	聞(き)き取(と)らなかった
Past polite	聞(き)き取(と)りました	聞(き)き取(と)りませんでした
て form	聞(き)き取(と)って	聞(き)き取(と)らなくて
ている present	聞(き)き取(と)っている	聞(き)き取(と)っていない
ている polite	聞(き)き取(と)っています	聞(き)き取(と)っていません
ている past	聞(き)き取(と)っていた	聞(き)き取(と)っていなかった
ている past polite	聞(き)き取(と)っていました	聞(き)き取(と)っていませんでした
Conditional ば	聞(き)き取(と)れば	聞(き)き取(と)らなければ
Conditional たら	聞(き)き取(と)ったら	聞(き)き取(と)らなかったら
Volitional	聞(き)き取(と)ろう	—
Volitional polite	聞(き)き取(と)りましょう	—
Potential	聞(き)き取(と)れる	聞(き)き取(と)れない
Passive	聞(き)き取(と)られる	聞(き)き取(と)られない
Causative	聞(き)き取(と)らせる	聞(き)き取(と)らせない
Imperative	聞(き)き取(と)れ	聞(き)き取(と)るな

1. to catch, to make out

To manage to hear and understand what is being said, especially when it is difficult to hear.

うまく聞(き)き取(と)れない。

I can't make it out clearly.

電話(でんわ)の声(こえ)が小(ちい)さくて聞(き)き取(と)れなかった。

The voice on the phone was too quiet and I couldn't make it out.

早口(はやくち)で話(はな)されると聞(き)き取(と)りにくい。

When someone speaks quickly, it's hard to catch what they're saying.

騒(さわ)がしくて、名前(なまえ)が聞(き)き取(と)れなかった。

It was too noisy and I couldn't catch the name.

日本語(にほんご)のニュースを聞(き)き取(と)れるようになりたい。

I want to become able to understand Japanese news by listening.

2. to interview, to take a statement

To gather information by asking questions and listening to responses (formal/official context).

警察(けいさつ)が目撃者(もくげきしゃ)から話(はなし)を聞(き)き取(と)った。

The police took a statement from the witness.

聞(き)き取(と)り調査(ちょうさ)を行(おこな)った。

An interview survey was conducted.

住民(じゅうみん)から意見(いけん)を聞(き)き取(と)った。

Opinions were gathered from the residents.

被害者(ひがいしゃ)から状況(じょうきょう)を聞(き)き取(と)る必要(ひつよう)がある。

We need to take a statement from the victim about the situation.

現場(げんば)の担当者(たんとうしゃ)から詳(くわ)しく聞(き)き取(と)りを行(おこな)った。

A detailed interview was conducted with the person in charge at the scene.

聞(き)き取(と)る is a transitive verb (他動詞(たどうし)) meaning to hear and catch what is said.

COMPOUND STRUCTURE:

聞(き)く (to hear) + 取(と)る (to take) → to take in what one hears

ASPECT (ている):
聞(き)き取(と)っている indicates an ongoing process of listening and understanding.

COMMON PATTERNS:

言葉(ことば)を聞(き)き取(と)る (catch someone's words)
うまく聞(き)き取(と)れない (can't make out clearly)
聞(き)き取(と)り調査(ちょうさ) (interview survey)
聞(き)き取(と)りテスト (listening comprehension test)

RELATED NOUN:

聞(き)き取(と)り: listening comprehension; interview/hearing

LANGUAGE LEARNING:
Often used in the context of language learning, referring to listening comprehension skills.

core

Added 2026.1.14 12:52 · Revised 2026.6.2 0:33

04500/04583_kikitoru