kuuntelee

Kuuntelee is a Finnish verb form meaning “listens.” It is the third person singular present indicative of the verb kuunnella, which denotes actively paying attention to sounds, speech, or music. The term is used for both listening to people and listening to various audio sources, such as radio or music, and it can also be used in a figurative sense, such as listening to someone’s opinion.

In grammar, kuunnella is a regular Finnish verb. Its present tense forms are: minä kuuntelen, sinä kuuntelet, hän kuuntelee, me kuuntelemme, te kuuntelette, he kuuntelevat. The imperative forms are kuuntele (singular) and kuunnelkaa (plural). The imperfect past tense forms are: kuuntelin, kuuntelit, kuunteli, kuuntelimme, kuuntelitte, kuuntelivat. The perfect forms use the auxiliary olla with the past participle: olen kuunnellut, olet kuunnellut, hän on kuunnellut, olemme kuunnelleet, olette kuunnelleet, he ovat kuunnelleet.

Objects typically appear in partitive with kuunnella, as in kuuntelen radiota or kuuntelen musiikkia, reflecting ongoing listening activity. The verb is commonly used with both concrete and abstract objects: kuuntele radiota, kuuntele musiikkia, or kuuntele minua, illustrating direct attention to speakers, sounds, or messages.

Related terms include kuunteleminen, the noun form for “the act of listening,” and kuullut, the past participle used in compound tenses. The distinction between kuunnella (to listen actively) and kuulla (to hear passively) is noted in Finnish usage, with kuunnella implying greater attentiveness.