oíste
oh-EE-steh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Oíste ese ruido anoche?
A1Did you hear that noise last night?
No me oíste bien; dije 'café', no 'té'.
A2You didn't hear me well; I said 'coffee', not 'tea'.
Cuando te lo conté, ¿oíste la sorpresa en mi voz?
B1When I told you, did you hear the surprise in my voice?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Tú' Past Tense
Oíste is the past action form (preterite) used when talking directly to one person informally (tú). It describes a completed action: 'Did you hear that sound?'
Irregularity in Oír
The verb 'oír' (to hear) is irregular because it changes the 'i' to a 'y' in many past forms (like 'oyó' or 'oyeron'). However, in 'oíste', the 'i' remains, but it carries a strong written accent to separate the sounds.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Hearing and Listening
Mistake: "Using 'escuchaste' when you mean passively 'oíste' (you perceived sound)."
Correction: 'Oír' is involuntary (to hear). 'Escuchar' is voluntary (to listen). For simple perception of sound, use 'oíste'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Easy Question Starter
To quickly ask a friend if they noticed something in the past, just start with '¿Oíste...?' (Did you hear...?).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: oíste
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase correctly translates 'oíste'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'oíste' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'i' (oíste) is crucial because it tells you to pronounce the 'o' and the 'i' as two separate syllables (o-í-ste), rather than blending them together into one sound.
What is the difference between 'oíste' and 'escuchaste'?
'Oíste' means 'you heard' (the sound came to you, often involuntarily). 'Escuchaste' means 'you listened' (you actively paid attention to the sound or message).