聞く
きく
to hear, to listen, to ask
Kiku (聞く) is a godan verb meaning "to hear, to listen, to ask". Its polite form is 聞きます (kikimasu), its te form is 聞いて (kiite), its past form is 聞いた (kiita), and its negative form is 聞かない (kikanai).
Godan verbJLPT N5
Kiku (聞く) conjugation quick reference
聞く means "to hear, to listen, to ask". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Kiku example sentences
音楽を聞きます。
I listen to music.
先生に聞きました。
I asked the teacher.
ラジオを聞きません。
I don't listen to the radio.
How to use Kiku: grammar notes
•Use を with 聞く when you're listening to music or sounds — for example, 音楽を聞く means "to listen to music."
•Use に with 聞く when you're asking someone a question — for example, 先生に聞く means "to ask the teacher."
•Don’t confuse the two meanings — 聞く can mean both "to listen" and "to ask," so the context and particles (を or に) help you know which one it is.
•JLPT N5 level
Common phrases with Kiku
音楽を聞く
to listen to music
人に聞く
to ask someone
話を聞く
to listen to (someone’s) story
Kiku (聞く) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 聞く | kiku |
| Masu Form | 聞きます | kikimasu |
| Te Form | 聞いて | kiite |
| Past Form | 聞いた | kiita |
| Negative Form | 聞かない | kikanai |
| Past Negative | 聞かなかった | kikanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 聞きます | kikimasu |
| Polite Past | 聞きました | kikimashita |
| Polite Negative | 聞きません | kikimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 聞きませんでした | kikimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 聞ける | kikeru |
| Passive Form | 聞かれる | kikareru |
| Causative Form | 聞かせる | kikaseru |
| Causative Passive | 聞かされる | kikasareru |
| Volitional Form | 聞こう | kikou |
| Imperative Form | 聞け | kike |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 聞けば | kikeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 聞いたら | kiitara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 聞いている | kiiteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 聞きたい | kikitai |
| Prohibition | 聞くな | kikuna |