don't hear vs can't hear

[soso]

I can't hear you very well - that is what speakers of English sometimes say when talking on the phone (if the line is not good enough)?

Can I say, I don't hear you very well instead?

I don't see it. I feel I've looked diligently and I feel fairly sure it's not there.

I can't see it. I'm unable to see it. My vision is too poor or I feel it's hidden or obscured somehow.

I would say "I can't hear you" in a situation where it's clear to me someone is talking,

but I can't hear what they're saying.

I would say "I don't hear you" if I'm uncertain whether or not they're talking. The only situation I can think of where this might happen is if I'm on a video call with someone and their camera is off.

I think you could probably use either, but saying "I don't see it" sounds very American to me. As a BE speaker, I'd go for "I can't see it" irrespective of whether there was anything wrong my eyesight or the size of the print.

When you use can not you mean not being able to do that act. So when you say I can not hear you, you emphasize not being able to hear that person for some reason. Therefore it is more proper and natural.

When you use do not it is like an act which is done on purpose. Still you can use it.

You'll almost always hear "I can't hear you." The nuance is slight, but saying "can't" implies to the speaker that they need to repeat themselves because of the situation, whether because they're talking quietly, the room is loud, or whatever.

Saying "I don't hear you" is weird outside of some specific prompting, such as someone asking you "Do you hear me?" in chat over a Zoom call. It's a very matter of fact statement about you hearing or not hearing something, and doesn't prompt the speaker to do something about it.

Both are grammatically correct but most native speakers would choose "I can't hear you" and would use the verb "do" in the past tense in this context for added politeness

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." or "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

But to interject, or to yell across a noisy room, go with "I can't hear you"

Some situations where I could imagine "I don't hear you" being used

"I'm watching the video of your choir's performance but I don't hear you(r voice) at all, sorry."

"Sorry for roaming around in the flat at night." "Don't worry, I don't even hear you."

"I keep repeating myself but you don't change! You don't hear me! You don't really listen!"

So I feel like it's either situations where the 'hearing' person isn't actively trying to hear something or a situation where the not-hearing is due to some unclear reason, beyond the speaker's knowledge.

It may be relevant to point out here that Palmer (The English Verb) mentions this usage of can. I quote:

Can is very commonly used with private verbs, especially verbs of sensation:

I can smell something burning.

I can see the moon.

Here there is very little sense of ability, ... it indicates that [the subject] does, in fact, experience the sensation rather than that he is able to experience it.

Can is also used with other types of private verbs, ... remember, understand, with minimal sense of ability:

I can't remember a thing.

I can't understand what he is saying.

These differ little, if at all, from:

I don't remember a thing.

I don't understand what he is saying.

Your question has a lot to do with idiomaticity.

While both versions are grammatical, I can't hear you very well is the version a native speaker would use.

Generally speaking, can't is used with verbs of perception such as see, hear, smell and taste instead of

don't. If a non-native speaker uses the version with don't, they will be understood. However, native speakers

would not speak that way. It's one of those idiosyncrasies of English, I suppose.

Regards

There is no doubt that your answer is correct. However, I assume the OP's question requires a more

specific response. This is the original question:

I can't hear you very well - that is what speakers of English sometimes say when talking on the phone

(if the line is not good enough)? Can I say, I don't hear you very well instead?

Could you enlighten the OP about the case he or she described?

I'd be glad to hear what you think.

Don't is more frequently used where the cause is a medical impairment. Grandma doesn't hear very well, so you have to speak up.

Can't is more frequently used when something external (volume of the sound or ambient noise) is the cause. The person in normal conditions is able to hear. There s a lot of noise on this line and I can't hear what you say. Please call back on another line.

Of course, these are not hard and fast "rules." The meaning is clear with either verb.