oí
/oi/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I heard" is oí.
The phrase is used when a person perceives a sound with their ears in the past.
Which one should you use?
oí is used for a sudden or specific sound that occurred. In contrast, oía is used for background sounds or to describe what was happening in the past.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the colloquial phrase Me enteré de qué va la cosa. means "I heard about what's going on." In Spain, the phrase He oído hablar de… means "I've heard talk of…".
How does it change in a sentence?
oí is the first-person singular preterite indicative of the verb oír. While oí refers to a specific completed instance of hearing, oía is the imperfect form used for ongoing or habitual hearing in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/oi/
Did you know?
- Spanish uses the phrase oír campanas (to hear bells) to describe someone who has heard a rumor but doesn't understand the full story, equivalent to the English 'hearing something through the grapevine'.
- The verb oír is the root of the word oyente, which describes a listener, and is closely related to the English word 'audio'.
- When reporting gossip, using oí decir (I heard say) is a common way to distance yourself from the truth of the information you are sharing.
Examples in context
- Sé lo que oí.I know what I heard.This sentence is useful for expressing certainty about a sound heard with the form oí.Tatoeba #4554891 by swyter, translation #2376275 by CK
- Yo lo oí de ti.I heard it from you.This sentence is useful for stating the source of information with the form oí.Tatoeba #1259011 by marcelostockle, translation #17946 by Dreamk33
- Oí que él murió.I heard that he'd died.This sentence is useful for reporting news heard with the form oí.Tatoeba #1343138 by marcelostockle, translation #327916 by CK
- Escuché decir que el director de la empresa se jubilará el próximo mes.I heard that the company's director will retire next month.
- Me enteré de que van a construir un nuevo centro de salud en la ciudad.I found out that they are going to build a new health center in the city.
- Oí que Juan y María se van a casar el próximo año.I heard that Juan and María are getting married next year.
- 155 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a quiet living room during the evening.
- LucíaOí un ruido extraño en la cocina.I heard a strange noise in the kitchen.
- Alejandro¿Fue un golpe muy fuerte?Was it a very loud bang?
- LucíaNo, solo fue algo pequeño.No, it was just something small.
- AlejandroDéjame ir a revisar, Lucía.Let me go check, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
