Sentire vs. udire
While both sentire and udire can be translated as to hear in English, they are not interchangeable. Sentire is the common, versatile, everyday word, whereas udire is more formal, literary, and specific to the physical act of hearing.
Sentire
A1Sentire is the most common and versatile verb for to hear. It is used in all informal and everyday contexts to refer to the general perception of a sound, voice, or noise. Beyond hearing, sentire has a much broader range of meanings, including to feel (emotions or physical touch), to smell, and to taste, making it a multi-purpose sensory verb.
Sento la musica del vicino.
(I hear the neighbor's music.)
Mi senti bene dal fondo della sala?
(Can you hear me well from the back of the room?)
Hai sentito l'ultimo pettegolezzo?
(Have you heard the latest gossip?)
Stamattina non ho sentito la sveglia.
(I didn't hear the alarm clock this morning.)
Senti che silenzio c'è in montagna.
(Listen to how quiet it is in the mountains.)
Ho sentito un rumore provenire dalla cucina.
(I heard a noise coming from the kitchen.)
Udire
B2Udire is a more formal and less common synonym for to hear. It specifically refers to the physical ability and the physiological act of perceiving a sound with the ears. It is often found in literary texts, formal speech, or to add a solemn or dramatic tone. It emphasizes the reception of sound waves rather than the comprehension or emotional reaction.
In lontananza si poteva udire il tuono.
(In the distance, one could hear the thunder.)
Il vecchio marinaio non ode più il richiamo del mare.
(The old sailor no longer hears the call of the sea.)
Il giudice chiese se l'imputato avesse qualcosa da aggiungere dopo aver udito la sentenza.
(The judge asked if the defendant had anything to add after having heard the sentence.)
Nel silenzio della notte, si udì un grido.
(In the silence of the night, a scream was heard.)
Il suo è un problema di udito, infatti ode a malapena da un orecchio.
(His is a hearing problem, in fact he can barely hear from one ear.)
Dalla cima della collina si possono udire le campane della cattedrale.
(From the top of the hill, you can hear the cathedral bells.)
Summary
In essence, use sentire for all everyday situations involving hearing; it is the default, all-purpose verb. Reserve udire for more formal, literary, or poetic contexts where you want to specifically emphasize the physical act of hearing or create a more elevated tone. When in doubt, sentire is almost always the correct choice in modern spoken Italian.