A simple colorful illustration showing a person cupping their hand behind their ear, listening intently to a sound coming from an unseen source, emphasizing the act of hearing.

oí

oh-EE

Verb (First Person Singular Preterite)A1Irregular (specifically in the preterite and present subjunctive, due to vowel changes and required accents) ir

I heard?A single, completed act of perception

Also:I listened?When describing perception, though 'escuché' is more common for focused listening

Quick Reference

infinitiveoír

gerundoyendo

past Participleoído

📝 In Action

Oí que tocaban la puerta y fui a abrir.

I heard them knocking on the door and I went to open it.

¿Qué pasó? No te oí bien por el ruido.

What happened? I didn't hear you well because of the noise.

El rumor se extendió después de que oí la noticia en la radio.

The rumor spread after I heard the news on the radio.

Word Connections

Synonyms

escuché (I listened (with attention))

Antonyms

silencio (silence)

Common Collocations

Oí un ruido – I heard a noise
Oí la noticia – I heard the news

💡 Grammar Points

Past Tense Choice (Preterite)

The form 'oí' is used to talk about an action of hearing that happened once and was finished at a specific point in the past (e.g., 'I heard the phone ring').

The Crucial Accent Mark

The accent on the 'í' is mandatory! It tells you to pronounce the 'o' and 'i' as two separate, stressed sounds ('oh-EE'), instead of blending them together.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Hearing vs. Listening

Mistake: "Using 'oí' when you mean 'I listened carefully' (e.g., 'Oí la clase entera')."

Correction: Use 'escuché' (I listened) for actions involving attention or concentration, and 'oí' (I heard) for mere perception of sound. Correction: 'Escuché la clase entera'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Irregular Third Person

Watch out for the 'y' change! Although you use 'oí' (with an 'i'), the third person forms change the 'i' to a 'y' (e.g., 'él/ella oyó', 'ellos/ellas oyeron').

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: oí

Question 1 of 1

If you want to say you heard a specific event take place five minutes ago, which word is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

oír(to hear) - verb

oído(ear (sense of hearing) / heard) - noun/past participle

oyente(listener) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'oí' and 'escuché'?

'Oí' (I heard) refers to the simple, involuntary act of sound entering your ear (perception). 'Escuché' (I listened) implies you were focusing or paying attention to the sound. Use 'oí' for background sounds or sudden noises, and 'escuché' for music, lectures, or conversations.

Why does 'oí' need an accent mark?

The accent is necessary to break up the vowel combination ('oi'). Without the accent, Spanish might pronounce it as one syllable. The accent forces you to pronounce 'o' and 'i' as two separate sounds, maintaining the proper Spanish rhythm.