naslouchat

Naslouchat is a verb found in several Slavic languages, most commonly in Czech as naslouchat, in Slovak as naslúchať, and in Polish as nasłuchiwać or nasłuchać. It denotes the act of listening attentively to a sound, speech, or voice, and can also carry the sense of listening in on a conversation in certain contexts. The nuance ranges from neutral, focused listening to the more specific idea of overhearing, depending on the language and usage.

In Czech, naslouchat usually means to listen to someone or something with attention, for example to listen to a speaker, a piece of music, or to the words of another person. In Slovak, naslúchať shares a similar core meaning and emphasizes careful listening; it can be used for listening to music, speech, or environmental sounds. In Polish, nasłuchiwać or nasłuchać can convey listening with intent, including the sense of listening out for a particular sound or trying to overhear something, depending on the context.

Etymologically, naslouchat and its cognates derive from a common Slavic root related to hearing or listening, linked with the noun for hearing (sluch in several languages). The exact form and grammatical behavior differ by language, including which cases or prepositions accompany the verb.

Usage notes: The term generally conveys active engagement with acoustic input. Distinctions between “listening attentively” and “eavesdropping” are largely context-specific and may be clarified by accompanying verbs, prepositions, or adverbs. In English, closest equivalents are listen attentively or listen in on.