Question

Can you hear an earthquake before it arrives?

Answer 1

Yes, it is, but the semi-truck passing by is usually only seconds before the shaking starts. Animals are a lot more sensitive to low frequency sounds than humans are. Many animals start leaving the area of an earthquake epicenter because they can probably sense or hear the movement or the rocks as the stresses and strains on the rock build up and reach the stress capacity and strain limits that the minerals in the rocks start to fracture, which is what causes/initiates the earthquake. Sound, seismic P-waves, and surface Rayleigh and Love waves, travel through solids (rocks and liquids) faster than sound in air travels. Animals leaving hours or even days before a large Richter magnitude earthquake is well-documented.

Answer 2

The answer to your question depends on the type of earthquake it is. For instance, there is something called P-waves which are waves that move rapidly from the Earth's layers before an earthquake or any other phenomenon like a volcanic eruption occurs. If the earthquake is big, then its p-waves are also higher which means we may be able to hear it. If the earthquake is small, then the p-waves are also low, meaning we won't be able to hear it.

I hope I was able to help you! :)