TextRanch

The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

1. Input your text below.
2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors.
3. Improve your English!

One of our experts will correct your English.

Our experts

i can hear you vs i could hear you

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I can hear you' is used to express the ability to hear in the present moment. 'I could hear you' is used to indicate the ability to hear in the past or as a polite request. The choice between them depends on the tense and the level of formality you want to convey.
Jennifer profile picture

Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: August 31, 2024 • 22863 views

i can hear you

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express the ability to hear in the present moment.

Use 'I can hear you' to indicate that you are currently able to hear what someone is saying or any sound around you.

Examples:

  • I can hear you loud and clear.
  • Can you speak louder? I can't hear you.
  • Even with my headphones on, I can still hear you.
  • I can hear you even from the other room.
  • I can hear you perfectly well.
  • Sep 29, 2011 ... They Might Be Giants - I Can Hear You.
  • Jul 18, 2019 ... Spirit of my silence, I can hear you. But I'm afraid to be near you. What's your favourite Sufjan Stevens lyric? Upvote 141. Downvote
  • Aug 22, 2015 ... Provided to YouTube by Elektra Records I Can Hear You · They Might Be Giants Factory Showroom ℗ 1996 Elektra Entertainment Drums: Brian ...
  • Sep 12, 2021 ... I Can Hear You Neighbor is an interactive story game that is still in development. The plot revolves around you moving into an apartment with walls so thin ...
  • Jun 17, 2020 ... The official video for I Can Hear You, shot in 1996 (with the hair to prove it!) Stream/Download: https://ffm.to/ichy Get the Weekly Arends ...
  • Jul 24, 2020 ... The overarching mechanism of Nolan Natasha's I Can Hear You, Can You Hear Me? is love. Love expressed in gentle juxtaposition.
  • Apr 1, 2014 ... First Person on the Last Page: Yes, I Can Hear You Now. After a years-long struggle with hearing loss, which deepened her empathy for her ...
  • Sep 29, 2011 ... I can hear you very clear. And also, if the signal is bad, and you barely hear the other person, would you say: 1. I can' ...
  • I Can Hear You. From This Might Be A Wiki. Song; Lyrics · Interpretations · Credits · Guitar Tab · Bass Tab ...
  • I Can Hear You Thinking. Dan Blaufuss | May 2017. SHARE THIS ARTICLE.

Alternatives:

  • I am able to hear you
  • I am hearing you
  • I hear you
  • I understand what you're saying
  • I'm listening to you

i could hear you

This phrase is correct and is used to indicate the ability to hear in the past or as a polite request.

Use 'I could hear you' to talk about the ability to hear in the past or to make a polite request to hear something more clearly.

Examples:

  • I could hear you talking last night.
  • I could hear you, but the music was too loud.
  • Could you speak up? I couldn't hear you.
  • I could hear you whispering in the next room.
  • I could hear you even though you were far away.
  • Aug 1, 2023 ... 939K likes, 1226 comments - stormreid on August 1, 2023: "wish i could hear you say “fammmmmmmmm” or “how's momz” one more time. i've always ...
  • Dec 11, 2014 ... 14 votes, 14 comments. If you'd like to listen along: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvIGgN-McsY I could hear you coming So I hid by the couch.
  • Oct 22, 2015 ... "Our song came on the radio, I could hear you sing along! I took the long way home so I could listen to it all.
  • Apr 17, 2024 ... 84 likes, 18 comments - elegiemusic on April 17, 2024: "I could hear you call my name #edgylegacy #newrelease Available NOW for FREE ...
  • Sep 6, 2024 ... I Could Hear You In My Silence. The story of my first hospital visit with the man I love. Lucas Grochot. Know Thyself, Heal Thyself · Lucas ...
  • 6 days ago ... 79.9M posts. Discover videos related to I Wish I Could Tell You I Wish I Could Hear You on TikTok. See more videos about I Wish I Could Tell ...
  • "I Could Hear You If You Would Just. Calm Down": Challenging Eurocentric. Classroom Norms through Passionate. Discussions of Racial Oppression. Eileen O'Brien.
  • Jan 5, 2018 ... I could hear you praying from outside the door. I always wondered: Were you praying that I would choose you or that I would pass you by ...

Alternatives:

  • I was able to hear you
  • I heard you
  • I was listening to you
  • I caught what you were saying
  • I understood what you said

Related Comparisons

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9TextRanch on TrustPilot).

Why choose TextRanch?

Lowest prices
Up to 50% lower than other online editing sites.

Fastest Times
Our team of editors is working for you 24/7.

Qualified Editors
Native English experts for UK or US English.

Top Customer Service
We are here to help. Satisfaction guaranteed!