JLPT N5 vocabulary
聞く: meaning, reading and conjugation
Reading and pitch accent
きく0Heiban · flat
Godan verb (u-verb)
Meaning
- to hear
- to ask, inquire, query
- to hear about, hear of, learn of
- to follow advice or an order, obey, listen to, comply with
- to hear a plea, grant a request, accept an argument, give consideration to
- to smell (especially incense), sample a fragrance
- to taste alcohol, try

Conjugation
| Form | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| Plain present辞書形 · ない形 | 聞く | 聞 |
| Plain pastた形 · なかった形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Polite presentます形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Polite pastました形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Te-formて形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Conditions and moods | ||
| If (-ba)ば形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| If / when (-tara)たら形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Let’s / will意向形 | 聞 | —not in common use |
| Want toたい形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Command / don’t命令形 · 禁止形 | 聞 | 聞く |
| Can · passive · causative | ||
| Can (potential)可能形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Passive受身形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Make / let使役形 | 聞 | 聞 |
| Be made to使役受身形 | 聞 | 聞 |
Example sentences
妹の歌を聞くのは楽しかった。
It was fun listening to my little sister's song.
「桜」という曲、聞いたことあるの?
Have you heard the song called “Sakura”?
戦争の話はとても悲惨で聞くに耐えない。
Stories of war are really tragic and I can't bear to listen to them.