oye tú
/oʝe tu/from spelling rules
The English phrase "hey you" is translated into Spanish as oye tú.
Oye tú is an informal way to get someone's attention. Depending on the tone of voice used, it can sound aggressive or confrontational.
What does it mean word for word?
Oye is the imperative (command) form of the verb oír, which means "to hear".
Which one should you use?
While oye tú is informal, oiga usted is the polite or formal way to get a stranger's attention. For other casual alternatives, you can use Oye or Ey, which can be translated as "hey" or "listen".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, ¡Epa! is an informal way to say "Hey you" or "Hey there".
How do you pronounce it?
/oʝe tu/
Did you know?
- The word tú is a distant cousin to the archaic English word 'thou', as both descend from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- The exclamation ¡Epa! used in the Caribbean can function not just as 'hey you' but also as a way to express surprise or to warn someone they are making a mistake.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, getting a stranger's attention with oye tú is considered quite rude and might even be seen as a challenge to a fight.
Examples in context
- ¡Oye tú! ¡Acá arriba!Hey you! Up here!Tatoeba #2361091 by marcelostockle, translation #2358617 by megamanenm
- ¡Oye tú!Hey, you!Tatoeba #1713584 by marcelostockle, translation #1493522 by Spamster
- ¡Oye tú! ¿Qué estás haciendo?Hey, you! What are you doing?Tatoeba #625753 by arashi_29, translation #65202 by CK
Example conversation
Elena sees Mateo walking away with her umbrella.
- Elena¡Oye tú! Olvidaste tu paraguas.Hey you! You forgot your umbrella.
- Mateo¡Ah, gracias, Elena!Oh, thanks, Elena!
- ElenaTen más cuidado la próxima vez.Be more careful next time.
- MateoLo siento, estaba distraído.I'm sorry, I was distracted.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oye, tú, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
