---
title: "Hearing the Sounds of Another Language"
description: "Tell apart sounds your own language does not use, and hear where one word ends and the next begins. This is ear work, and it comes before any speaking."
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/hearing-the-sounds-of-another-language-mt_BNrRACypmh
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/hearing-the-sounds-of-another-language-mt_BNrRACypmh.md
retrieved: 2026-09-12
---

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# Hearing the Sounds of Another Language

Tell apart sounds your own language does not use, and hear where one word ends and the next begins. This is ear work, and it comes before any speaking.

Subject: Languages · Area: Sounds & Conversation · Ages 5 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/hearing-the-sounds-of-another-language-mt_BNrRACypmh

## Ready when they can

- Say whether two spoken words in the new language are the same or different
- Clap once per word in a short spoken phrase in the new language
- Point out a sound in the new language that the home language does not have

## Lesson: Hear it first: same or different

A new language holds sounds your ears are still learning. Play the same or different game. One person says two words. You say same or different.

**Example.** Mia hears two words split by one small sound. She says them one after the other, slow. Then she says different. Each round trains her ears.

Some sounds do not live in your home language. That is normal. Hear them many times before you speak. Clap once for each word in a short phrase.

**Tip.** Stuck on a hard word. Cut it into small bits. Say each bit slow. Then stick the bits back together. Watch the speaker's mouth as you try.

**Recap.** Hear first, tell same from different, and clap once for each word.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Segmenting words into sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/segmenting-words-into-sounds-mt_BhYJZUsErp)
- [Many Languages, One World](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/many-languages-one-world-mt_XETW8tM2MC)

## Opens up

- [Copying Sounds, Rhythm and Tune](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/copying-sounds-rhythm-and-tune-mt_v7Vd-VlVdA)