Homophones: Hear vs. Here

The importance of understanding homophones

As you’ve probably figured out, homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Using the incorrect spelling of one homophone won’t always have a significant impact on the meaning of a sentence, as most people will understand what you mean. However, your credibility can take a hit if you’re writing a blog, sending an important email, or trying to write anything else with authority.

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To know how to use the correct spelling of homophones, we need to understand what each means and the context in which we’re using it. Let’s look at the differences between hear vs. here and when to use each.

When you hear. Hear ending with -ear is a verb. It’s the action of perceiving sound or being told information. Either way, you’re using your ears to receive. Because you use your ears to hear, that’s a great way to remember to use the spelling with “ear” at the end. So, if you’re receiving information as you hear, the correct spelling ends in -ear.

How to use hear in a sentence:

• What do you hear?
• I can hear what you’re saying.
• I know you can hear me, but are you listening?

When you’re here. Here is a versatile word that can be used in many ways. It can be a noun, adjective, adverb, or interjection. You might use it here to describe the location of something on a map. You could point and say, “Here,” to designate a specific location. Here will describe where you are, which would be a noun. Using “wait here” as a command is an adverb because it’s modifying how or where you’re telling someone to wait. An example of using here as an interjection could be when you’re trying to get someone’s attention as you give them something. Spelling here ending with -ere doesn’t have anything to do with listening with your ear so that should help you figure out when to use it.

How to use here in a sentence:

• We’re going here for our vacation.
• We’re just here for the free pizza.
• Here, take this napkin.

The final word. As with most homophones, remembering whether to use hear or here in your sentence depends entirely on the words around it. Take a second to think about how you’re using the word. You can also always ask yourself, “Does it have to do with listening?” If the answer is yes, hear with “ear” is the correct spelling.

Good editing software may flag it—but not always. So, take time to learn how to use homophones so you can always correctly and efficiently convey your message. You can sometimes avoid using them by deferring to synonyms, but we often can’t. Understanding the difference between hear vs. here is an important part of being an effective communicator, no matter what you’re writing.