oír
/oˈiɾ/
To hear in Spanish is oír.
oír is used to describe the physical act of perceiving sounds through the sense of hearing. It is often used in legal contexts or to refer to the act of hearing through the sense of hearing.
Meaning: to perceive sounds through the ear (verb)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish oír from escuchar. While oír means to perceive a sound (to hear), escuchar is used when you are paying attention to a sound (to listen).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the first-person singular present indicative, the form changes to oigo (I hear). For the third-person singular preterite, the form is oyó (he/she/it heard).
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈiɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use oír when you mean to find out or to hear about information. In those cases, use enterarse instead.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a common way to tell someone to listen up is to use the expression oiga, which is a formal command of oír.
- The Latin root of oír also gave English the word 'audio'.
- While oír describes the sense, the phrase no oír razones is used to describe someone who is being stubborn and refuses to listen to logic.
Examples in context
- No lo puedo oír.I can't hear it.This sentence is useful for saying you are unable to hear something with the verb oír.Tatoeba #1359841 by marcelostockle, translation #320091 by CK
- Eso me gusta oír.That's what I like to hear.This sentence shows how to express liking to hear something using oír.Tatoeba #7917964 by fpp, translation #3726260 by CM
- Me alivia oír eso.I'm glad to hear that.This sentence uses oír to express relief upon hearing news.Tatoeba #1503357 by marcelostockle, translation #254847 by CK
- ¿Me escuchas?Can you hear me?
- El juez debe oír todos los testimonios.The judge must hear all the testimonies.
- ¿Oíste lo que pasó ayer?Did you hear what happened yesterday?
- Me enteré de que estás buscando trabajo.I heard that you're looking for a job.
- 304 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are talking in a noisy room.
- AlejandroNo te puedo oír con este ruido.I can't hear you with this noise.
- MaríaVoy a hablar más fuerte, Alejandro.I'm going to speak louder, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Ahora puedes oír mi voz?Can you hear my voice now?
- MaríaSí, María te oye perfectamente.Yes, María hears you perfectly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hear” translations and entries oír, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oír, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
