Inklingo

How to Say "you listen" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “you listen” is “oye” — use 'oyes' when informally addressing one person (singular) and referring to the act of perceiving sound, similar to 'do you hear'.

English → Spanish

oye

OH-yesˈo.ʝes

VerbA1Informal
Use 'oyes' when informally addressing one person (singular) and referring to the act of perceiving sound, similar to 'do you hear'.
A colorful illustration of a young child standing outdoors, leaning forward and cupping their hand behind their ear, focusing intently on hearing a faint sound.

Examples

¿Oyes ese ruido? Parece que viene del piso de arriba.

Do you hear that noise? It seems to be coming from upstairs.

Tú no oyes mis consejos, siempre haces lo que quieres.

You don't listen to my advice, you always do what you want.

Irregular 'Y' Spelling

The verb oír (to hear) is irregular. Notice how the 'i' changes to a 'y' (oyes) when it falls between two vowels, which helps with pronunciation.

escucha

es-KOO-chahesˈkutʃa

VerbA1Formal/Standard
Use 'escucha' when formally addressing one person (usted) or referring to a third-person singular subject (he/she/it listens) performing the action of paying attention.
A simple illustration of a young woman sitting quietly, cupping her hand behind her ear and tilting her head, concentrating fully on an unseen sound source.

Examples

Mi abuela siempre escucha la radio por la mañana.

My grandmother always listens to the radio in the morning.

Escucha, creo que oigo algo.

Listen, I think I hear something.

¿Usted me escucha bien?

Do you (formal) hear me well?

Two Jobs, One Word

Escucha can be a statement ('she listens') or a command ('listen!'). The situation you're in usually makes it clear which one is meant. For example, if someone says it directly to you at the start of a sentence, it's almost always a command.

Tú vs. Usted Commands

To give a friendly command to one person ('tú'), you say escucha. To give a formal command to one person ('usted'), you say escuche. Notice the ending changes from 'a' to 'e'.

Statement vs. Question

Mistake: “Using `escucha` when you mean `escuchas` for a 'tú' statement. For example, saying 'Tú escucha música' when asking a question or making a statement.”

Correction: For statements and questions with 'tú', you need the 's' at the end: `Tú escuchas música.` ('You listen to music.'). Keep `escucha` for commands ('Listen!') or for talking about 'él/ella/usted'.

escuchan

es-KOO-chahnesˈku.tʃan

VerbA1Formal (Spain)/Standard (LatAm)
Use 'escuchan' when addressing multiple people (ustedes), which is formal in Spain and both formal and informal in Latin America, or when referring to a third-person plural subject (they listen).
A colorful storybook illustration showing two simple figures sitting side-by-side, cupping their hands behind their ears and leaning forward slightly to hear a sound.

Examples

Los niños escuchan un cuento antes de dormir.

The children listen to a story before sleeping.

Ustedes escuchan música muy fuerte en el coche.

You (plural formal) listen to music very loudly in the car.

Es importante que me escuchen cuando hablo de seguridad.

It is important that they listen to me when I talk about safety. (Special verb form)

Three Roles of 'Escuchan'

This single form means three things: 1. 'They listen' (statement), 2. 'You (plural formal) listen' (statement), or 3. 'That they/you listen' (a special verb form used after expressions of desire or doubt, like 'Quiero que...').

Active Listening

Use escuchar when someone is actively paying attention (listening). Use oír when sound simply reaches your ears (hearing). 'Escuchan' implies effort.

Listening to 'To'

Mistake: “Using 'escuchan a' before an object that isn't a person, e.g., 'Escuchan a la radio.'”

Correction: Unlike English, you don't need the preposition 'a' before things: 'Escuchan la radio.' Only use 'a' before people: 'Escuchan a sus padres.'

VerbA2Informal
Use 'escúchame' as an imperative command directed at one informal 'you' (tú), meaning 'listen to me'.

Examples

¡Escúchame! Necesito decirte algo importante.

Listen to me! I need to tell you something important.

Oír vs. Escuchar

The most common mistake is confusing 'oír' (to hear) with 'escuchar' (to listen). 'Oyes' specifically relates to the physical act of hearing sound, while 'escuchar' implies active attention. Use 'oyes' for incidental sounds and 'escucha'/'escuchan' for paying attention.

Related Translations

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