Can I say "hear sb" instead of "hear from sb"?

"Hear sb" means to listen to someone, not to receive communication.

Is "hear from sb" formal or informal?

It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Can I use "hear from sb" in the past tense?

Yes, for example: "I heard from her yesterday."

Does "hear from sb" always mean by phone?

No, it can be by any form of communication, like email, letter, or in person.

Hear from sb Meaning, Examples & How to Use the Phrasal Verb

What Does “Hear from sb” Mean?

“Hear from sb” means to receive communication from someone, usually by phone, email, letter, or in person.

Introduction

The phrase “hear from sb” is a common English expression used when we talk about receiving news or messages from someone. The “sb” stands for “somebody,” and this phrasal verb focuses on the act of getting information or contact from that person. Understanding the “hear from sb” meaning helps learners recognize when people expect to be contacted or want to know if someone has communicated with them. It is often used in informal and formal situations, making it a versatile phrase in everyday English. Knowing how to use “hear from sb” correctly will improve your communication skills and help you understand conversations better.

Quick Info Box

Phrasal verb: Hear from somebody
Type: Intransitive
Level: A2–B1
Short meaning: Receive communication or news from someone

Structure (Grammar Rules)

The phrasal verb “hear from sb” is intransitive, which means it does not take a direct object after it. Instead, it is followed by the person you receive communication from.

Common structure: hear from + somebody

Examples:

I hope to hear from you soon.
She hasn’t heard from her parents in weeks.

Because it is intransitive, you cannot separate the verb and the preposition.

How to Use “Hear from sb”?

You use “hear from sb” when you want to say that someone has contacted you or you have received news from them. It is often used to express expectation or surprise about communication.

For example, if you are waiting for a reply from a friend, you might say, “I haven’t heard from him yet.”

This phrase is useful in both personal and professional contexts, such as waiting for a job offer, news from family, or updates from a colleague.

Examples

Here are some natural sentences using “hear from sb”:

I finally heard from my sister after she moved abroad.
Did you hear from the doctor about your test results?
We haven’t heard from the client since last week.
She’s worried because she hasn’t heard from her friends in a long time.
It’s always nice to hear from old classmates.

Using “hear from sb in a sentence” helps you understand its common contexts and meanings.

Common Mistakes

Many learners confuse “hear from sb” with “hear sb” or “hear about sb.” These are different.

Incorrect: I hope to hear him tomorrow.
Correct: I hope to hear from him tomorrow.
Incorrect: She heard about me yesterday. (This means she learned about you, not that she contacted you.)
Correct: She heard from me yesterday. (This means she received communication from you.)

Remember, “hear from sb” always means receiving communication directly.

Differences / Synonyms

Sometimes people confuse “hear from sb” with similar phrases like “hear about sb” or “get news from sb.”

Hear from sb: Receive direct communication (calls, messages).
Hear about sb: Learn information or news indirectly, not necessarily from the person.
Get news from sb: Similar to “hear from sb,” but slightly more formal.

For example, “I heard about her wedding” means you learned it from someone else, while “I heard from her” means she told you directly.

Common Collocations

When using “hear from sb,” you often see it with:

Family – hear from family means receiving messages or calls from relatives.
Friends – hearing from friends is common in social conversations.
Colleagues – in work contexts, you hear from coworkers or supervisors.
Clients – in business, this means receiving updates or replies.
Someone – a general term for any person.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of hear from sb:

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “hear from sb”:

Anna: Have you heard from Mark lately?

Ben: No, I haven’t heard from him since last month.

Anna: That’s strange. I hope everything is okay.

Ben: Me too. I’ll try to contact him soon.

Practice

Try to fill in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verb:

I haven’t ________ from my cousin since she moved.
Did you ________ from the manager about the meeting?
We always like to ________ from our old friends.
She hopes to ________ from her teacher soon.

FAQs

What does “hear from sb” mean? It means to receive communication from someone.
Can I say “hear sb” instead of “hear from sb”? No, “hear sb” means to listen to someone, not to receive communication.
Is “hear from sb” formal or informal? It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Can I use “hear from sb” in the past tense? Yes, for example: “I heard from her yesterday.”
Does “hear from sb” always mean by phone? No, it can be by any form of communication, like email, letter, or in person.