¿me escuchas?
The English phrase "can you hear me?" is translated into Spanish as ¿me escuchas?
This phrase is used as a question to check if a person is able to perceive the speaker's voice.
Which one should you use?
While ¿me escuchas? is common, it can imply "Are you listening to me?" whereas ¿me oyes? focuses more on the physical ability to perceive sound.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask if a group of people can hear you, change the verb ending to the third-person plural escuchan.
Did you know?
- The verb 'escuchar' is related to the Latin 'excutire', which carries a sense of 'to shake out' or 'to examine', suggesting a more active processing of sound than simply receiving it.
- If a speaker is too quiet, a Spanish speaker might not ask if you hear them, but rather ask you to 'hablar más fuerte', which literally translates to 'speak more strong'.
- In a formal setting, such as a business presentation, a speaker might use the phrase ¿se me escucha?, which uses a passive reflexive form to ask 'Am I being heard?'
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿me escuchas?Hello, can you hear me?
- No estoy seguro, ¿me escuchas?I'm not sure, can you hear me?
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are talking on the phone with a bad connection.
- DanielLucía, ¿me escuchas?Lucía, can you hear me?
- LucíaNo muy bien, hay ruido.Not very well, there is noise.
- Daniel¿Me escuchas ahora?Can you hear me now?
- LucíaSí, ahora te escucho perfectamente.Yes, now I hear you perfectly.
