escucha a la maestra
/eskut͡ʃa a la maestɾa/from spelling rules
The phrase 'listen to the teacher' in Spanish is escucha a la maestra.
This phrase is used to instruct someone to pay attention to what a teacher is saying.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase includes the 'personal a', which is a grammatical particle required in Spanish when the direct object is a specific person.
Which one should you use?
The form escucha a la maestra is used for an informal situation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form escucha a la maestra is an imperative command used when addressing a single person informally (tú). If the teacher is male, you change la maestra to el maestro, which contracts to al maestro. To command a group of students to listen to the teacher, use escuchen a la maestra.
How do you pronounce it?
/eskutʃa a la maestɾa/
Did you know?
- The word maestra shares a common ancestor with the English word 'master', as both stem from the Latin 'magister' meaning 'teacher' or 'master'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the term maestro extends beyond school teachers to describe any master of a craft or trade, such as a master carpenter or builder.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you are in a classroom, a teacher might use the word atender instead of escuchar to mean 'paying attention' or 'processing' the information.
Examples in context
- El profesor está explicando un concepto complicado. Preste atención al profesor y tome notas para comprender mejor.The teacher is explaining a complex concept. Pay attention to the teacher and take notes to better understand.
- Escucha a la maestra durante la clase.Listen to the teacher during class.
- Si no escucha a la maestra, no entenderá.If he doesn't listen to the teacher, he won't understand.
Example conversation
Two students are chatting in the classroom.
- AlejandroMira, Elena, tengo un dibujo nuevo.Look, Elena, I have a new drawing.
- ElenaAlejandro, guarda eso y escucha a la maestra.Alejandro, put that away and listen to the teacher.
- AlejandroEstá bien, solo era un momento.It's okay, it was just for a moment.
- ElenaElla ya empezó la lección.She already started the lesson.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, escucha, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
