"Ĉu vi provas aŭskulti lin?"

Translation: Are you trying to listen to him?

[kaleb.haugen]

Hmm, I seem to have confused Provas and Povas

[bartimaus]

I think of provas as prove, as in trying to prove yourself.

[TravisIvan]

I do the same. I also think of povas as power, as in I have the power to do that (and I am doing it!)

[deactivated user]

I did the same. :P

[AdolfStein1]

Ĉu ni povas diri, "Ĉu vi provas aŭskulti al li," kiel ni diras en la anglan?

[ErnestoPerales]

I mistranslated as "can you try to...". That would be "Ĉu vi povas provi..."?

[Robbadob]

Yes, provi is to try while povi is to be able to (to can).

[Grazfather]

He says, 'vin'

[salivanto]

I just had my wife and younger son (who both speak Esperanto) listen without telling them what to expect. My wife agrees with you. My son answered "lin".

My wife thought maybe he was getting it from context but then he admitted that he didn't know what aŭskulti means. :-)

[Ian.Maxwell]

I really feel like 'penas' is more fitting than 'provas' in this context? My understanding was that 'provi' means to try as in test out and see what happens, whereas 'peni' means to make an attempt with the goal of doing the thing. So "mi provas aŭskulti" would be just seeing if it's possible to listen, whereas "mi penas aŭskulti" would mean I actually want to know what they're saying.

[salivanto]

Provas is the most general of the words which can be translated "to try". With penas it would mean he's making an effort.

[JustinGumblePuff]

Once again I misunderstand the point of the term "al."

[salivanto]

You asked the same question here and I think you received a decent answer.

https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/28724324

[andrewgtreantos]

Ĉiu provas, kion li povas.

[ronlin2808]

why is he in the accusitive and not the dative?

[JohnKing147785]

I'm kind of surprised that "Are you trying to hear him" wasn't excepted.

[Pauvel]

Yes I am trying to auscultate him

[KungLaotheAlumni]

Would "aŭskulti" also be used to mean 'listen in on' as in eavesdrop, or is there a better word for that?

[salivanto]

1 - Kia demando!

2 - Jes, ja estas pli bona vorto.

Have you tried a dictionary? Here's the one I use and recommend.

http://esperanto-me.org/dic/