oreja
/oˈɾexa/feminine
In Spanish, 'ear' can be translated as oreja or oído.
Meaning: organ of hearing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oreja | /oˈɾexa/ | feminine |
| oído | /oˈido/ | masculine |
Oreja is used for the external part of the ear, while oído refers to the sense of hearing or the internal auditory mechanism. The phrase de oído is used to describe performing a task, such as playing music, by ear without the use of written notation.
Which one should you use?
Use oreja to refer to the visible, external part of the ear (the pinna). Use oído to refer to the sense of hearing or the internal ear.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Oreja is a feminine noun, while oído is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈɾexa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use oído to refer to the physical external ear. You should use oreja instead when talking about the visible part of the ear.
Did you know?
- In some regions, the word oreja is used colloquially to describe the folded corner of a page in a book, similar to the English 'dog-ear'.
- In a Spanish kitchen, if a recipe calls for an oreja, it is likely referring to 'pig's ear', a common ingredient in traditional tapas like oreja de cerdo.
- The Spanish word oído is a distant relative of the English word 'audio'. Both share a common ancestor in the Latin word audītus.
Examples in context
- Me pica la oreja.My ear is itching.This sentence uses oreja to describe a physical sensation on the external ear.Tatoeba #526937 by Shishir, translation #332214 by TRANG
- Lo tocaremos de oído.We'll play it by ear.This sentence uses oído to show the expression for playing or performing something by ear.Tatoeba #1551069 by marcelostockle, translation #869506 by CK
- Tocaba el piano de oído.He played piano by ear.This sentence uses oído to describe playing a musical instrument by ear.Tatoeba #842049 by Shishir, translation #288050 by CK
- Tengo dolor en el oídoI have pain in my ear
- El pabellón auricular está compuesto de cartílagoThe auricular pinna consists of cartilage
- Me duele la orejaMy ear hurts
- Tengo dolor en el oído y necesito ver a un médicoI have pain in my ear, and I need to see a doctor
- Mi abuela siempre me decía que debía cuidar mis orejas para no tener problemas de audiciónMy grandmother always told me that I should take care of my ears to avoid hearing problems
- Ponte un gorro para cubrirte las orejas del fríoPut on a hat to protect your ears from the cold
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about a new earring.
- DanielMira este pendiente para tu oreja.Look at this earring for your ear.
- SofíaEs muy bonito, pero no tengo el agujero.It is very pretty, but I don't have the piercing.
- DanielPuedes ponerlo en la parte alta de la oreja.You can put it on the upper part of the ear.
- SofíaTienes razón, así quedaría perfecto.You are right, it would look perfect that way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ear” translations and entries oreja, oído, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oreja, oído, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
