Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"to hear" in Spanish: oír
oír
To hear in Spanish is oír. The yo form is oigo. Other present forms include oyes and oye. Oír is passive hearing; escuchar is active listening.
On a noisy street
Oigo música desde el balcón.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce oír
Say it
oh-EER / OY-goh
/o.ˈiɾ/
Oír is oh-EER with two vowels. Oigo is OY-goh. Oyes is OH-yehs.
"to hear" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| oír | to hear Dictionary form; keep the accent. | Dictionary form; keep the accent. |
| oigo | I hear Irregular yo present. | Irregular yo present. |
| oyes / oye | you hear / he-she hears ¡Oye! also means hey / listen. | ¡Oye! also means hey / listen. |
| oímos / oyen | we hear / they hear Plural forms. | Plural forms. |
| oído | heard / ear Past participle and body-part noun. | Past participle and body-part noun. |
How to use oír in real life
- 1On a noisy street
Oigo música desde el balcón.
I hear music from the balcony.
Oigo is the irregular yo form.
- 2Checking a call
¿Oyes bien por el teléfono?
Can you hear well on the phone?
Oyes is the tú form.
- 3In class
No oímos al profesor desde atrás.
We don't hear the teacher from the back.
Oímos is first-person plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with oír
Incorrect: Yo oyo la lluvia.
Correct: Yo oigo la lluvia.
The yo form is oigo with g.
Incorrect: Oigo la radio cada mañana con atención.
Correct: Escucho la radio cada mañana.
Active listening often uses escuchar.
Good to know
Oye is a common Latin American attention word, like hey. Keep the written accent on oír so it stays distinct from other little words.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking sound during a video call
ChatPal
¿Me oyes bien ahora?
Can you hear me well now?
You
Sí. Te oigo claro.
Yes. I hear you clearly.
ChatPal
Perfecto. Yo también te oigo sin eco.
Perfect. I hear you without echo too.
You
Si no oyes, dime y repito.
If you don't hear, tell me and I'll repeat.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to hear" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to hear" in Spanish
Why oigo with g?
The yo form of oír is irregular: oigo.
Oír or escuchar?
Oír is hear. Escuchar is listen on purpose.
Why does oír have an accent?
The accent marks two syllables: o-ír.
How do you pronounce oigo?
OY-goh. One oy sound, then goh.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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