oír
/oy-EER/
to hear
The primary meaning of oír is 'to hear,' referring to the passive, physical act of perceiving sound.
oír(Verb)
to hear
?the physical act of perceiving sound
to perceive a sound
?when a noise reaches your ears
📝 In Action
¿Oyes ese ruido en la cocina?
A1Do you hear that noise in the kitchen?
No te oigo bien, la música está muy alta.
A2I can't hear you well, the music is too loud.
Anoche oí a los vecinos discutiendo.
B1Last night I heard the neighbors arguing.
💡 Grammar Points
Irregular Changes
This verb has some tricky spelling changes. Notice how a 'y' appears in some forms (like 'oyó', 'oyeron', 'oyendo') to make it easier to pronounce. Also, the 'yo' form in the present is unique: 'oigo'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Oír vs. Escuchar
Mistake: "Using 'oír' when you mean 'to listen to' something on purpose."
Correction: 'Oír' is passive – it's what your ears do automatically. 'Escuchar' is active – it's what your brain does when you pay attention. You *oyes* a dog barking outside, but you *escuchas* a podcast.
⭐ Usage Tips
For Unintentional Sounds
Use 'oír' for any sound that simply enters your ears, whether you want it to or not. It's about perception, not intention.
In this context, oír means 'to listen to' or 'to heed advice,' focusing on the intentional act of paying attention to spoken words.
oír(Verb)
to listen to
?paying attention to what is said; heeding advice
Hey / Listen
?as a command to get someone's attention
📝 In Action
¡Oye! ¿Tienes hora?
A2Hey! Do you have the time?
Tienes que oír los consejos de tu abuela; ella es muy sabia.
B1You have to listen to your grandmother's advice; she is very wise.
El presidente no quiso oír las quejas del pueblo.
B2The president didn't want to listen to the people's complaints.
⭐ Usage Tips
Getting Attention
The command forms '¡Oye!' (for someone you call 'tú') and '¡Oiga!' (for 'usted') are extremely common ways to say 'Hey!' or 'Listen!' to get someone's attention before speaking.
Listening to Advice
In this sense, 'oír' is very similar to 'escuchar'. When talking about paying attention to advice, news, or a story, the two verbs can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: oír
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'oír' to mean the *unintentional* act of hearing?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the real difference between 'oír' and 'escuchar'?
'Oír' is the physical ability to perceive sound with your ears. It's passive and doesn't require effort. 'Escuchar' is the mental action of paying attention to a sound. It's active and intentional. Think of it this way: you can 'oír' traffic outside while you 'escuchar' your teacher in class.
Is 'oído' a verb form or a noun?
Both! 'Oído' is the past participle of the verb 'oír' (as in 'he oído' - I have heard). It is also a noun meaning the inner ear or the sense of hearing ('Me duele el oído' - My ear hurts).
Why is 'oír' so irregular?
Like many of the most common verbs in Spanish ('ser', 'ir', 'tener'), 'oír' is irregular because it has been used so much for centuries. Old, frequent words tend to keep their unique, historical forms while less common verbs are smoothed out into regular patterns over time.