Help breaking down this phrase?

Japanese Language Grammar
#1

Jisho/Tatoeba provides this example sentence:

media playerで音楽を聞こうとしてもエラーが出てファイルを再生できません。

When I try to listen to music with the media player, there’s an error and I can’t play the file.

So far I have:
media playerで = using the media player
エラーが出て = an error shows up
ファイルを再生出来ません = I can’t play the file

What’s happening with 聞こうとしても though? I don’t quite understand how to use としても, and also I don’t understand what conjugation of 聞こえる is being used. Is that just a stylistic thing or is it a different verb, etc.

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#2

It means “even though I try to hear”. So basically “even though I try to listen the file with the music player, there’s an error”.

Basically the nuance is that usually it’s possible with the media player, but this time it’s not.

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#3

Volitional+としても can mean something like ‘even if [someone] attempts/tries to’. 聞こう is volitional form.

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#4

This is the volitional form of 聞く

Volitional form + とする = try to (verb).

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#5

ooh, I’m clearly unaware of volitional form outside of sticking ましょう onto the end of things. Thanks everyone :slight_smile:

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#6

よう/おう is casual form volitional.

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#7

Looks like a file error.

#8

Perhaps, but this is a Jisho example sentence, so the person who needs the troubleshooting isn’t here to hear it. :stuck_out_tongue:

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#9

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