聞こえる vs 聞ける – The Meaning of Kikoeru

When you translate 聞きこえる from Japanese to English it means you hear or can hear something. 聞きける is a similar word that also means can hear or can listen. Even if in English these two words are translated similarly, they are used differently.¹

聞ける – Able to Hear or Listen

聞ける means being able to hear or listen. It is the potential form of the verb 聞く which is to see or listen.

聞こえる – Be Audible or to Hear something

聞こえる translates as, to be audible. The difference here is that 聞こえる means you just heard something. Not that you were trying to listen.

聞こえる – to Sound like

聞こえる also means that something sounds like, or gives an impression of something else.