The verb oír means “to hear.” It is used to describe the action of perceiving sound. Oír is irregular in several tenses and requires stem changes. It also uses the preposition a when hearing people or animals.
Conjugations
Oír is irregular and stem-changing in many forms. Below are the conjugations in the most important tenses:
Present Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oigo | I hear | Yo oigo música clásica. | I hear classical music. |
tú | oyes | you hear | ¿Oyes el ruido? | Do you hear the noise? |
él/ella/usted | oye | he/she hears | Ella oye a su hermano. | She hears her brother. |
nosotros/as | oímos | we hear | Oímos la lluvia caer. | We hear the rain falling. |
vosotros/as | oís | you all hear | ¿Oís los pájaros? | Do you all hear the birds? |
ellos/as/ustedes | oyen | they hear | Ellos oyen la alarma. | They hear the alarm. |
They hear the alarm.
Ellos oyen la alarma.
'Oyen' is the third-person plural present indicative form, indicating a current action. It matches 'ellos' and refers to hearing the alarm now.
Preterite Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oí | I heard | Ayer oí una noticia. | Yesterday I heard some news. |
tú | oíste | you heard | Oíste bien la explicación. | You heard the explanation well. |
él/ella/usted | oyó | he/she heard | Ella oyó un golpe fuerte. | She heard a loud bang. |
nosotros/as | oímos | we heard | Oímos música en la fiesta. | We heard music at the party. |
vosotros/as | oísteis | you all heard | Oísteis los anuncios. | You all heard the announcements. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oyeron | they heard | Oyeron la sirena temprano. | They heard the siren early. |
Imperfect Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oía | I used to hear | De niño, yo oía cuentos. | As a child, I used to hear stories. |
tú | oías | you used to hear | Tú oías la radio por la noche. | You used to hear the radio at night. |
él/ella/usted | oía | he/she used to hear | Él oía sus canciones favoritas. | He used to hear his favorite songs. |
nosotros/as | oíamos | we used to hear | Oíamos voces lejanas. | We used to hear distant voices. |
vosotros/as | oíais | you all used to hear | Oíais el viento en los árboles. | You all used to hear the wind in the trees. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oían | they used to hear | Oían los pasos en el pasillo. | They used to hear footsteps in the hallway. |
As a child, I used to hear stories.
De niño, yo oía cuentos.
'Oía' is the first-person singular imperfect form, used for repeated or habitual actions in the past.
Future Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oiré | I will hear | Mañana oiré el concierto. | Tomorrow I will hear the concert. |
tú | oirás | you will hear | Oirás noticias importantes. | You will hear important news. |
él/ella/usted | oirá | he/she will hear | Ella oirá el discurso. | She will hear the speech. |
nosotros/as | oiremos | we will hear | Oiremos el informe juntos. | We will hear the report together. |
vosotros/as | oiréis | you all will hear | Oiréis los resultados pronto. | You all will hear the results soon. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oirán | they will hear | Oirán el llamado de atención. | They will hear the warning call. |
Conditional Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oiría | I would hear | Yo oiría tus consejos. | I would hear your advice. |
tú | oirías | you would hear | Oirías mejor con silencio. | You would hear better in silence. |
él/ella/usted | oiría | he/she would hear | Ella oiría la verdad. | She would hear the truth. |
nosotros/as | oiríamos | we would hear | Oiríamos los rumores. | We would hear the rumors. |
vosotros/as | oiríais | you all would hear | Oiríais más si prestáis atención. | You all would hear more if you pay attention. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oirían | they would hear | Oirían los comentarios. | They would hear the comments. |
Present Subjunctive
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oiga | I hear | Espero que yo oiga bien. | I hope I hear well. |
tú | oigas | you hear | Que tú oigas la noticia pronto. | May you hear the news soon. |
él/ella/usted | oiga | he/she hears | Ojalá ella oiga mi mensaje. | I hope she hears my message. |
nosotros/as | oigamos | we hear | Es bueno que oigamos opiniones. | It’s good that we hear opinions. |
vosotros/as | oigáis | you all hear | Que oigáis sin problemas. | May you all hear without problems. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oigan | they hear | Que oigan lo que pasó. | May they hear what happened. |
I hope I hear well.
Espero que yo oiga bien.
'Oiga' is the first-person singular present subjunctive form, used after verbs like 'esperar' that express hope or doubt.
Imperfect Subjunctive (ra)
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Oír | English Oír | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | oyera | I heard | Si yo oyera eso, reiría. | If I heard that, I would laugh. |
tú | oyeras | you heard | Si tú oyeras más, entenderías. | If you heard more, you would understand. |
él/ella/usted | oyera | he/she heard | Si ella oyera la verdad, cambiaría. | If she heard the truth, she would change. |
nosotros/as | oyéramos | we heard | Si oyéramos mejor, no fallaríamos. | If we heard better, we wouldn’t make mistakes. |
vosotros/as | oyerais | you all heard | Si oyerais a tiempo, evitaríais problemas. | If you all heard in time, you would avoid problems. |
ellos/as/ustedes | oyeran | they heard | Si oyeran los consejos, mejorarían. | If they heard the advice, they would improve. |
Present Perfect Indicative
Spanish Subject Pronoun | Spanish Form | English Form | Spanish Example | English Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
yo | he oído | I have heard | Yo he oído esa canción. | I have heard that song. |
tú | has oído | you have heard | Tú has oído mi opinión. | You have heard my opinion. |
él/ella/usted | ha oído | he/she has heard | Ella ha oído rumores. | She has heard rumors. |
nosotros/as | hemos oído | we have heard | Hemos oído todo. | We have heard everything. |
vosotros/as | habéis oído | you all have heard | Habéis oído las instrucciones. | You all have heard the instructions. |
ellos/as/ustedes | han oído | they have heard | Han oído la noticia temprano. | They have heard the news early. |
Usage
Meaning
- Oír means to physically hear or perceive sound.
- It does not imply intention or attention; just that the sound reaches the ears.
Oír + Direct Object
- Directly followed by the thing heard.
- Example: Oigo música. (I hear music.)
Oír + a + Person/Animal
- Use a before a person or animal that is being heard.
- Example: Oigo a mi madre. (I hear my mother.)
- Example: Oigo a los perros. (I hear the dogs.)
Oír vs. Escuchar
- Oír = hear (passive, just perceiving sound).
- Escuchar = listen (active, paying attention).
- Example:
- Oigo ruido. (I hear noise.)
- Escucho música. (I’m listening to music.)
Common Expressions
- ¡Oye! = Hey! / Listen!
- Oír campanas y no saber dónde = to be confused or uncertain.
- Oír de labios de alguien = to hear something directly from someone.
Examples
Simple Sentences
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Oigo el canto de los pájaros. | I hear the birds singing. |
¿Oyes el timbre? | Do you hear the doorbell? |
Oímos el trueno anoche. | We heard thunder last night. |
With a + Person/Animal
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Oigo a mi vecino hablar. | I hear my neighbor talking. |
Oye a los niños jugar. | She hears the children playing. |
Oí a los gatos en el tejado. | I heard the cats on the roof. |
With Other Verbs/Pronouns
Spanish | English |
---|---|
No le oigo bien. | I don’t hear him/her well. |
¿Me oyes? | Do you hear me? |
Siempre oigo música mientras estudio. | I always hear music while I study. |
Conditional and Future
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Oiría cualquier cosa por estar allí. | I would hear anything to be there. |
Oirás noticias dentro de poco. | You will hear news soon. |
Additional Notes
Accents
- In the preterite (oí, oíste, oyeron), the í is accented.
- In the participle, it is oído (with an accent on the í).
Irregularities
- Present and other tenses use oy- (oigo, oyes, oyen).
- Preterite third singular/plural use oyó / oyeron.
- Imperfect subjunctive uses oyer-.
Summary
- Oír means “to hear” and is irregular in many forms.
- Use a before people/animals: oír a alguien.
- Differ from escuchar (listening vs. hearing).
- Important tenses: present, preterite, imperfect, subjunctive, participle.
- Practice with real sentences to master usage.
Flashcards (1 of 59)
- English Oír: I hear
- English Example: I hear classical music.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025