oye Siri
/oʝe siɾi/from spelling rules
The Spanish way to say "hi siri" is oye Siri.
This phrase is a wake word used to activate the Apple virtual assistant.
What does it mean word for word?
The word oye is the imperative form of the verb oír (to hear), literally meaning "listen".
Which one should you use?
While English uses "Hi" or "Hey", the standard Spanish activation phrase uses the imperative oye to get the assistant's attention.
How do you pronounce it?
/oʝe siɾi/
Did you know?
- The word oye descends from the Latin 'audi', which is the same root used for the English word 'audio'.
- The verb oír inside oye focuses on the physical act of perceiving sound, whereas the more common verb escuchar refers to the active process of listening.
- If you were to use the formal version of the command, oiga Siri, you would be addressing the assistant as if she were a stranger or a person of high authority.
Examples in context
- Oye Siri, pon música.Hey Siri, play music.
- ¿Cómo funciona el comando oye Siri?How does the command 'hey Siri' work?
- Oye Siri, ¿qué hora es?Hey Siri, what time is it?
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are in the kitchen using a smartphone.
- AlejandroOye Siri, pon una alarma.Hey Siri, set an alarm.
- María¡Qué útil es tu asistente, Alejandro!Your assistant is so useful, Alejandro!
- AlejandroSí, funciona muy bien.Yes, it works very well.
- MaríaA mí también me gusta usarla.I like using her too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oye, CC BY-SA 4.0.
