The Present Tense of Oír is used to describe actions that are currently happening or habitual actions, for example, Oigo música mientras trabajo. (I listen to music while I work.)
Oír is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Oír (to hear) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | oigo |
Tú | oyes |
Él / Ella / Usted | oye |
Nosotros / Nosotras | oímos |
Vosotros / Vosotras | oís |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | oyen |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Oír (to hear) in the Present Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Oír in the Present Tense
Oír generally means to hear or listen, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.
To hear sounds or noises: For example, Oigo el ruido de los coches en la calle. (I hear the noise of the cars on the street.)
To listen to someone or something: For example, Oigo la radio mientras trabajo. (I listen to the radio while I work.)
To understand or comprehend: For example, No te oigo, ¿puedes repetir? (I don’t understand you, can you repeat?)
To obey or follow instructions: For example, Los niños no me oyen cuando les digo que se callen. (The children don’t obey me when I tell them to be quiet.)
To hear about something or someone (colloquial): For example, ¿Oyes? Dicen que Juan se va a casar. (Did you hear? They say Juan is getting married.)
To pay attention or listen up (rude): For example, ¡Oye, tú! ¡Ven aquí! (Hey, you! Come here!)
Examples
Examples of Oír in the Present Tense
¿Oyes ese ruido? Parece que hay una fiesta en el apartamento de al lado. (Do you hear that noise? It sounds like there’s a party in the apartment next door.)
Mamá, oigo la televisión desde mi habitación. ¿Puedes bajar el volumen? (Mom, I can hear the TV from my room. Can you turn the volume down?)
En la oficina, oímos el teléfono sonar constantemente. (At the office, we constantly hear the phone ringing.)
Cuando oyes esa canción, ¿no te trae recuerdos de nuestra juventud? (When you hear that song, doesn’t it bring back memories of our youth?)
Los vecinos oyen el ladrido del perro a todas horas. (The neighbors hear the dog barking at all hours.)
En el concierto, oímos a la banda tocar nuestras canciones favoritas. (At the concert, we heard the band play our favorite songs.)
¿Oyes esos pasos afuera? Creo que alguien está en el patio. (Do you hear those footsteps outside? I think someone is in the yard.)
Cuando oigo el timbre de la puerta, me pongo nervioso. (When I hear the doorbell, I get nervous.)
Mis abuelos oyen muy bien a pesar de su edad avanzada. (My grandparents hear very well despite their advanced age.)
Cuando oye esa palabra, mi amigo se ríe sin parar. (When he hears that word, my friend laughs nonstop.)
En la naturaleza, oímos el canto de los pájaros y el susurro del viento. (In nature, we hear the singing of birds and the whisper of the wind.)
Los niños oyen las historias de sus abuelos con atención. (The children listen to their grandparents’ stories attentively.)
Cuando oyes esa canción, ¿no te dan ganas de bailar? (When you hear that song, don’t you feel like dancing?)
En la playa, oigo el relajante sonido de las olas. (At the beach, I hear the relaxing sound of the waves.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Oír (to hear) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Yo oigo | I hear |
Tú oyes | You hear |
Él / Ella / Usted oye | He / She / You (formal) hears |
Nosotros / Nosotras oímos | We hear |
Vosotros / Vosotras oís | You all hear |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes oyen | They / You all (formal) hear |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.