Learned to repeat after listening first (8)
I believe the answer is:
literate
'learned' is the definition.
(able to read and write)
'repeat after listening first' is the wordplay.
'repeat' becomes 'iterate' (synonyms).
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'listening first' becomes 'l' (1st letter of 'listening').
'iterate' put after 'l' is 'LITERATE'.
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for literate that I've seen before include "Relate it, being well read" , "Able to read and write" , "well expressed" , "properly educated" , "Well versed in books" .)