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Learn Oír in the Spanish present tense

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Oír

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Present · Yo → -GO

Oír in the Spanish present tense

Oír means to hear: to perceive a sound. Escuchar usually emphasizes paying attention or listening intentionally.

Its present forms are oigo, oyes, oye, oímos, oís and oyen. The yo form adds g, several forms use y and the nosotros and vosotros forms keep a written accent.

oírto hear
Oigo, y-forms and accented oímos/oís

Use oigo, oyes, oye, oímos, oís and oyen. Preserve the written accent where it keeps the two vowels in separate syllables.

Subject or verbPatternExample
yocomplete special formoigo
túcomplete special formoyes
él / ella / ustedcomplete special formoye
nosotros / nosotrascomplete special formoímos
vosotros / vosotrascomplete special formoís
ellos / ellas / ustedescomplete special formoyen
1. Meaning and form in context

Oír has three visible details to remember: oigo with yo, y in oyes, oye and oyen, and an accented í in oímos and oís.

Yo oigo la alarma desde mi habitación.I hear the alarm from my bedroom.
¿Tú oyes ese ruido?Do you hear that noise?
Marta oye música desde la calle.Marta hears music from the street.
2. A contrast worth noticing

Use oír for sounds that reach you and escuchar for intentional listening. The distinction is useful even though natural contexts sometimes allow overlap.

Usted oye las instrucciones con claridad.You hear the instructions clearly.
Nosotros oímos las campanas de la iglesia al mediodía.We hear the church bells at noon.
Mi amiga y yo oímos a alguien en la puerta.My friend and I hear someone at the door.
3. Let the subject guide the form

Spanish often omits a subject pronoun, but each exercise provides enough context to identify the person. Choose the form from meaning and agreement, not from the nearest noun.

4. Common mistakes
Yo oír la alarma desde mi habitación.Yo oigo la alarma desde mi habitación.

The infinitive oír must change to oigo for this subject and context.

¿Tú oír ese ruido?¿Tú oyes ese ruido?

The infinitive oír must change to oyes for this subject and context.

Marta oír música desde la calle.Marta oye música desde la calle.

The infinitive oír must change to oye for this subject and context.

5. A reliable method
  1. Decide whether the meaning is hear rather than listen.
  2. Identify the subject.
  3. Choose oigo, a y-form or an accented oí- form as required.
  4. Check the accent in oímos and oís.

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