oírme
/oh-EER-meh/
to hear me
Depicting the action of someone else listening to 'me' as a direct object.
oírme(Verb)
to hear me
?as a direct object
,to listen to me
?often implying attention
to perceive my voice
?technical context
📝 In Action
¿Puedes oírme bien desde ahí?
A2Can you hear me well from over there?
Necesitas oírme cuando te hablo de cosas importantes.
B1You need to listen to me when I talk to you about important things.
Él no quiso oírme, así que me fui.
B2He didn't want to hear me, so I left.
💡 Grammar Points
Pronoun Placement Rule
"Oírme" is the infinitive verb "oír" with the object pronoun "me" (me) attached directly to the end. This structure is used when the verb is not conjugated yet, often following another conjugated verb (e.g., quiero oírme).
Alternative Placement
You can also place the pronoun before the conjugated verb: Me puedes oír (You can hear me). Both ways are correct.
⭐ Usage Tips
Hearing vs. Listening
While 'oír' generally means the physical act of hearing, when used with 'me' (oírme), it often implies 'listening to me' or paying attention, similar to the more active verb 'escuchar'.
Illustrating the reflexive action of listening to one's own voice.
oírme(Verb)
to hear myself
?reflexive action
,to listen to myself
?e.g., listening to a recording
📝 In Action
Quiero grabar mi voz para oírme hablar.
B1I want to record my voice to hear myself speak.
Necesito un micrófono para oírme claramente.
B1I need a microphone to hear myself clearly.
💡 Grammar Points
Reflexive Action
In this meaning, the 'me' indicates that the person doing the hearing is the same person being heard. The action reflects back onto the speaker.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the 'me'
Mistake: "Using 'oír' when the subject is also the object (e.g., *Quiero oír* instead of *Quiero oírme* when listening to one's own voice)."
Correction: When the subject hears himself/herself, the reflexive pronoun is required: *Quiero oírme*.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: oírme
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'oírme' in the direct object sense?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'oírme' not have an accent mark, even though 'oí' does?
'Oí' (I heard) has an accent because the stress falls on the 'í', breaking the vowel blend (hiatus). When 'me' is attached to the infinitive 'oír' to form 'oírme', the natural stress of the infinitive (on the 'í') remains, but since the attachment creates a new word that follows the standard stress rules (stress on the second-to-last syllable, 'ír'), no written accent is needed on the 'i'.
What is the difference between 'oírme' and 'escucharme'?
'Oírme' is about the physical perception of sound (Can you hear my voice?). 'Escucharme' is about paying active attention (Are you listening to what I am saying?). If you are shouting across a field, you use 'oírme'. If you are giving advice, you use 'escucharme'.