Cool MateListen to this vs Tell you what
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Listen to this
Top 3,000 (common)
Tell you what
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: Listen to thisMost common: Tell you what
| Listen to this | Tell you what | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈlɪs.ən tʊ ðɪs//🇺🇸 //ˈlɪs.ən tə ðɪs// | 🇬🇧 //tɛl jʊ wɒt//🇺🇸 //tɛl ju wɑt// |
| Meaning | Pay attention to this sound or speech. | I'll explain or suggest something. |
| Example | Listen to this recording I made. | Tell you what, let's go see a movie tonight! |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | listen to music, listen to advice, listen to the news | tell you what I think, tell you what to do, tell you what happened |
| Antonyms | ignore, disregard | - |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'to' (saying 'listen this'), Using incorrect tense (e.g. 'listens to this'), Confused with 'hear' vs 'listen to' | Used in too formal contexts., Confused with 'I'll tell you what'., Think it's only a question, not a suggestion. |
| Usage notes | Used when asking someone to pay attention to something you are about to show or play. Avoid in very formal situations. | Used in casual conversations to introduce an opinion or suggestion. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Listen to this vs Tell you what
What's the difference between Listen to this and Tell you what?
Listen to this: Pay attention to this sound or speech. Tell you what: I'll explain or suggest something.
Which is more formal: Listen to this and Tell you what?
Listen to this is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Listen to this and Tell you what?
Tell you what is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Listen to this: Listen to this recording I made. Tell you what: Tell you what, let's go see a movie tonight!
Can I use Listen to this and Tell you what interchangeably?
Not always. Listen to this and Tell you what are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.