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escucharlo

es-koo-CHAR-loh (stress on 'char')/eskuˈtʃaɾlo/

“escucharlo” means “to listen to it” in Spanish (referring to a masculine singular object or concept (e.g., a song, a piece of advice)).

to listen to it, to hear him

Also: to play it
Verb phraseA1regular ar
A brightly colored illustration showing a small, simplified character sitting intently next to a vintage, red portable radio. The character has a hand cupped to their ear, demonstrating focused attention on the sound source.
infinitiveescuchar
gerundescuchando
past Participleescuchado

📝 In Action

Quiero escuchar el nuevo álbum. Quiero escucharlo.

A1

I want to listen to the new album. I want to listen to it.

Tienes que escucharlo antes de tomar una decisión.

A2

You have to hear him out (or listen to it) before making a decision.

Estoy intentando escucharlo, pero hay mucho ruido.

A2

I am trying to listen to him/it, but there is a lot of noise.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • oírlo (to hear it (often passively))
  • atenderlo (to pay attention to him)

Common Collocations

  • tener que escucharlo – to have to listen to it
  • poder escucharlo – to be able to listen to it

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: escucharlo

Question 1 of 2

Which of these sentences correctly uses the pronoun placement rules for 'escucharlo'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
escuchar(to listen) — Verb
la escucha(listening / surveillance) — Noun
oyente(listener) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
hablarlocomprarlo
📚 Etymology▼

The base verb *escuchar* comes from the Latin word *auscultare*, which meant 'to listen attentively.' The attached pronoun *lo* comes from the Latin direct object pronoun *illum* (him/it).

First recorded: The base verb dates back to the 12th century, with the attached pronoun structure developing later in Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: escutá-loItalian: ascoltarlo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'escucharlo' have an accent mark when 'escuchar' does not?

The accent mark is added when you attach a pronoun to an infinitive or gerund. It ensures that the stress stays on the last syllable of the original verb, preventing the stress from naturally shifting to the added pronoun.

Can I use 'escucharlo' to refer to a group of people?

No. *Lo* is singular. If you were referring to a group of people (masculine or mixed gender), you would use the plural pronoun *los*, making the word *escucharlos*.