German Phrase
Erzähl weiter, ich hör zu.
Meaning
A friendly invitation to keep talking while letting the listener know they are paying attention. It’s the German equivalent of ‘Go on, I’m listening.’
When to use
Use this in informal, face‑to‑face conversations – when a friend is telling a story, a colleague is explaining a project, or anyone is sharing something you want to hear more of.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Erzählweiter,ichhörzu.
Erzähl (imperative)
‘Erzähl’ is the du‑imperative of the verb ‘erzählen’ (to tell, to narrate).
weiter (adverb)
‘weiter’ means ‘further’ or ‘onward’ and is often used with imperatives to mean ‘keep going’.
hör (colloquial present)
In everyday speech the verb ‘hören’ can drop the final –e in the 1st‑person singular: ‘ich hör’ instead of ‘ich höre’.
zu (particle)
‘zu’ pairs with ‘hören’ to form the separable verb ‘zuhören’ – ‘to listen to’. In the sentence it stays at the end.
🗨In Conversation
Erzähl weiter, ich hör zu.
Go on, I’m listening.
Also, gestern war ich im Wald und plötzlich…
So, yesterday I was in the forest and suddenly…
✕Common Mistakes
Erzähl weiter, ich hör zu.
In written German, especially in formal contexts, use the full form ‘höre’. The shortened ‘hör’ is acceptable only in casual speech.
Erzähl weiter, ich zu hör.
Do not place ‘zu’ before the verb; it must stay at the end because ‘zuhören’ is a separable verb.
Erzähl weiter ich hör zu.
The comma after ‘weiter’ is required because two independent clauses are joined.
↔Alternatives
Fahr fort, ich höre zu.
Continue, I’m listening.
Mach weiter, ich bin ganz Ohr.
Keep going, I’m all ears.
Bitte weiter, ich lausche.
Please continue, I’m listening attentively.
Cultural Tip
‘Ich hör zu’ is colloquial; in a formal setting you would say ‘Ich höre Ihnen zu’ or ‘Ich höre Ihnen aufmerksam zu.’ The idiom ‘ganz Ohr haben’ (to have a whole ear) is also common for showing keen interest.