escucha
“escucha” means “he/she listens” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
he/she listens, listen!
Also: you listen
📝 In Action
Mi abuela siempre escucha la radio por la mañana.
A1My grandmother always listens to the radio in the morning.
Escucha, creo que oigo algo.
A1Listen, I think I hear something.
¿Usted me escucha bien?
A2Do you (formal) hear me well?
listening
Also: wiretap, eavesdropping
📝 In Action
La escucha activa es fundamental en la terapia.
B1Active listening is fundamental in therapy.
El juez autorizó la escucha telefónica del sospechoso.
B2The judge authorized the wiretap of the suspect's phone.
Desarrollar la capacidad de escucha mejora tus relaciones.
B1Developing the capacity for listening improves your relationships.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: escucha
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'escucha' as a command?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'auscultāre', which meant 'to listen attentively'. This ancient word also gives us the English word 'auscultation', a medical term for listening to the internal sounds of the body.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'escucha' and 'oye'?
Great question! Think of it like 'listen' vs. 'hear' in English. `Escuchar` is about paying attention and actively listening. `Oír` is about the sound simply reaching your ears, whether you're paying attention or not. So, you use `escucha` as a command when you want someone's attention ('Listen!'), and `oye` when you want to point out a sound ('Hey, do you hear that?').
How do I know if 'escucha' means 'he/she listens' or 'Listen!'?
It's all about the context! If someone says it directly to you, often at the start of a sentence, like `Escucha, vamos a llegar tarde` ('Listen, we're going to be late'), it's a command. If it's part of a sentence describing what a third person is doing, like `Ana escucha podcasts` ('Ana listens to podcasts'), it's a statement.