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German Phrase

Ich kann dich nicht so gut hören.

/ɪç kan dɪç nɪçt zoː ɡuːt ˈhøːʁən/
Meaning"I can’t hear you very well."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I can’t hear you that well.’ It is used to tell someone that the speaker is having trouble catching what the other person is saying, usually because of background noise, a weak microphone, or a distant voice.

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When to use

Use this sentence in phone calls, video chats, or face‑to‑face conversations when the other person’s voice is muffled or the environment is noisy. It works in both informal and semi‑formal settings.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ichkanndichnichtsoguthören

1

Ich (personal pronoun)

First‑person singular nominative pronoun, the subject of the sentence.

2

kann (modal verb)

Present tense of the modal verb *können*; it expresses ability or possibility.

3

dich (accusative pronoun)

Second‑person singular accusative pronoun, the object of the verb *hören*.

4

nicht (negation)

Negates the following phrase; placed before the adjective phrase *so gut*.

5

so gut (adverbial phrase)

Combines the intensifier *so* with the adjective *gut* to indicate degree – ‘very well’ or ‘well enough’.

6

hören (infinitive verb)

Main verb in infinitive form, governed by the modal verb *kann*.

🗨In Conversation

A

Ich kann dich nicht so gut hören.

I can’t hear you very well.

Entschuldigung, ich wiederhole das noch einmal.

Sorry, I’ll repeat that.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich kann dich so nicht gut hören.

    The negation *nicht* must come before the intensifier *so*; saying *Ich kann dich so nicht gut hören* sounds unnatural.

  • Ich kann dich nicht hören gut.

    Word order is wrong; the adjective phrase must stay together after *nicht*.

  • Ich könnte dich nicht so gut hören.

    Using the conditional *könnte* changes the meaning to a polite request (I could hear you...), which is not the intended statement of difficulty.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich höre dich nicht gut.

    I don’t hear you well.

  • Ich kann dich kaum verstehen.

    I can barely understand you.

  • Deine Stimme ist für mich schwer zu hören.

    Your voice is hard for me to hear.

de

Cultural Tip

German speakers often soften a complaint with *so* (so gut) to keep the tone polite. In a formal business call you might say *Entschuldigen Sie, ich kann Sie nicht gut verstehen* instead of the informal *dich*. Also, avoid over‑using *nicht* before the verb; the correct placement is before the adjective phrase, as in the model sentence.