слышать vs услышать

slyshat' vs uslyshat' — hear vs hear/catch once

What it really means

Слышать describes hearing as an ability, an ongoing perception, or information heard before. Услышать is perfective: hear and catch a sound, word, or news on one occasion. The prefix у- presents the hearing as reaching its result.

Слышать can also mean “have heard of”; услышать is common when a sound finally becomes audible.

Examples in natural speech

Я плохо слышу левым ухом.
I hear poorly in my left ear.
Ты слышишь музыку?
Can you hear the music?
Я услышал стук в дверь.
I heard a knock at the door.
Она не услышала вопрос.
She did not catch the question.
Мы уже слышали эту историю.
We have heard this story before.

Common mistakes

Do not use услышать for a continuing hearing ability. Say Я слышу тебя, not Я услышу тебя, unless you mean “I will manage to hear you.”

Memory tip

Услышать is one sound arriving at your ears; слышать is the ongoing ability or perception.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference in Я слышу and Я услышал?

Я слышу means I can hear now; Я услышал means I heard/caught it.

Can услышать be future?

Yes: Я услышу сигнал means I will hear the signal.

What verb means listen?

Слушать means listen actively; слышать means hear.

Note: This site uses JavaScript for interactive drills, audio playback, and progress tracking. Please enable JavaScript for the full experience.