Words that we recognise when we hear or see them are known as :

The correct answer is Receptive vocabulary.

Explanation:

Vocabulary in language learning is generally divided into two main categories: receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary.

1. Receptive Vocabulary (Passive Vocabulary):
This includes all the words that a person can understand and recognise when they hear them in spoken communication or see them in written text. Learners may not active use these words in their own speech or writing, but they can easily comprehend their meaning when encountered.

2. Productive Vocabulary (Active Vocabulary):
This consists of words that a person can actively produce and use appropriately in their own speaking and writing.

Therefore, words that we recognize when we hear or see them specifically refer to our Receptive vocabulary.