Escuchar or oír?
Escuchar = to listen, on purpose: Escucho podcasts en español. Oír = to hear, it just happens: ¿Has oído eso? On the phone, ¿Me escuchas? is common in Latin America, while Spain prefers ¿Me oyes? Both work. ¡Escucha! = Listen!
Indicative tenses of escuchar
Facts and things that happen: the tenses you'll use most.
Present indicative
| yo | escuchoI listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escuchasyou listen |
| él/ella/usted | escuchahe/she listens |
| nosotros/as | escuchamoswe listen |
| vosotros/as | escucháisyou all listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escuchanthey listen |
Fully regular. No "to" needed: escucho música = I listen to music.
Preterite indicative
| yo | escuchéI listened |
|---|---|
| tú | escuchasteyou listened |
| él/ella/usted | escuchóhe/she listened |
| nosotros/as | escuchamoswe listened |
| vosotros/as | escuchasteisyou all listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escucharonthey listened |
Imperfect indicative
| yo | escuchabaI used to listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escuchabasyou used to listen |
| él/ella/usted | escuchabahe/she used to listen |
| nosotros/as | escuchábamoswe used to listen |
| vosotros/as | escuchabaisyou all used to listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escuchabanthey used to listen |
Present continuous indicative
| yo | estoy escuchandoI am listening |
|---|---|
| tú | estás escuchandoyou are listening |
| él/ella/usted | está escuchandohe/she is listening |
| nosotros/as | estamos escuchandowe are listening |
| vosotros/as | estáis escuchandoyou all are listening |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están escuchandothey are listening |
estar + gerund
Informal future indicative
| yo | voy a escucharI am going to listen |
|---|---|
| tú | vas a escucharyou are going to listen |
| él/ella/usted | va a escucharhe/she is going to listen |
| nosotros/as | vamos a escucharwe are going to listen |
| vosotros/as | vais a escucharyou all are going to listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van a escucharthey are going to listen |
ir a + infinitive
Future indicative
| yo | escucharéI will listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escucharásyou will listen |
| él/ella/usted | escucharáhe/she will listen |
| nosotros/as | escucharemoswe will listen |
| vosotros/as | escucharéisyou all will listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escucharánthey will listen |
Conditional indicative
| yo | escucharíaI would listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escucharíasyou would listen |
| él/ella/usted | escucharíahe/she would listen |
| nosotros/as | escucharíamoswe would listen |
| vosotros/as | escucharíaisyou all would listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escucharíanthey would listen |
Present perfect indicative
| yo | he escuchadoI have listened |
|---|---|
| tú | has escuchadoyou have listened |
| él/ella/usted | ha escuchadohe/she has listened |
| nosotros/as | hemos escuchadowe have listened |
| vosotros/as | habéis escuchadoyou all have listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han escuchadothey have listened |
haber (present) + past participle
Past perfect indicative
| yo | había escuchadoI had listened |
|---|---|
| tú | habías escuchadoyou had listened |
| él/ella/usted | había escuchadohe/she had listened |
| nosotros/as | habíamos escuchadowe had listened |
| vosotros/as | habíais escuchadoyou all had listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habían escuchadothey had listened |
haber (imperfect) + past participle
Future perfect indicative
| yo | habré escuchadoI will have listened |
|---|---|
| tú | habrás escuchadoyou will have listened |
| él/ella/usted | habrá escuchadohe/she will have listened |
| nosotros/as | habremos escuchadowe will have listened |
| vosotros/as | habréis escuchadoyou all will have listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán escuchadothey will have listened |
haber (future) + past participle
Conditional perfect indicative
| yo | habría escuchadoI would have listened |
|---|---|
| tú | habrías escuchadoyou would have listened |
| él/ella/usted | habría escuchadohe/she would have listened |
| nosotros/as | habríamos escuchadowe would have listened |
| vosotros/as | habríais escuchadoyou all would have listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrían escuchadothey would have listened |
haber (conditional) + past participle
Subjunctive tenses of escuchar
Wishes, doubts, emotions and "if" sentences.
Present subjunctive
| yo | escuche(that) I listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escuches(that) you listen |
| él/ella/usted | escuche(that) he/she listens |
| nosotros/as | escuchemos(that) we listen |
| vosotros/as | escuchéis(that) you all listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escuchen(that) they listen |
Imperfect subjunctive
| yo | escuchara(if) I listened |
|---|---|
| tú | escucharas(if) you listened |
| él/ella/usted | escuchara(if) he/she listened |
| nosotros/as | escucháramos(if) we listened |
| vosotros/as | escucharais(if) you all listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escucharan(if) they listened |
Future subjunctive
| yo | escuchare(if) I listen |
|---|---|
| tú | escuchares(if) you listen |
| él/ella/usted | escuchare(if) he/she listens |
| nosotros/as | escucháremos(if) we listen |
| vosotros/as | escuchareis(if) you all listen |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | escucharen(if) they listen |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Present perfect subjunctive
| yo | haya escuchado(that) I have listened |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas escuchado(that) you have listened |
| él/ella/usted | haya escuchado(that) he/she has listened |
| nosotros/as | hayamos escuchado(that) we have listened |
| vosotros/as | hayáis escuchado(that) you all have listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan escuchado(that) they have listened |
haber (present subj.) + past participle
Past perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiera escuchado(if) I had listened |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieras escuchado(if) you had listened |
| él/ella/usted | hubiera escuchado(if) he/she had listened |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos escuchado(if) we had listened |
| vosotros/as | hubierais escuchado(if) you all had listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieran escuchado(if) they had listened |
haber (imperfect subj.) + past participle
Future perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiere escuchado(if) I will have listened |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieres escuchado(if) you will have listened |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere escuchado(if) he/she will have listened |
| nosotros/as | hubiéremos escuchado(if) we will have listened |
| vosotros/as | hubiereis escuchado(if) you all will have listened |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren escuchado(if) they will have listened |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Imperative tenses of escuchar
Commands and instructions.
Affirmative imperative
| tú | escuchalisten! |
|---|---|
| usted | escuchelisten! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | escuchemoslet's listen! |
| vosotros/as | escuchadlisten! (you all) |
| ustedes | escuchenlisten! (you all, formal) |
Negative imperative
| tú | no escuchesdon't listen! |
|---|---|
| usted | no escuchedon't listen! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | no escuchemoslet's not listen! |
| vosotros/as | no escuchéisdon't listen! (you all) |
| ustedes | no escuchendon't listen! (you all, formal) |
Practice escuchar
Two quick exercises. No sign-up, no app: just you and escuchar.
How to use escuchar
Escucho música mientras trabajo.
I listen to music while I work.
Nunca me escuchas.
You never listen to me.
¡Escucha! Tengo una idea.
Listen! I have an idea.
Escuchar podcasts te ayuda con el español.
Listening to podcasts helps you with Spanish.
¿Me escuchas bien?
Can you hear me OK?
Example sentences with escuchar
- ¿Qué música escuchas?What music do you listen to?
- Escuché tu mensaje.I listened to your message.
- Ella escuchó toda la historia.She listened to the whole story.
- De niño escuchaba la radio con mi padre.As a kid I used to listen to the radio with my dad.
- Te escucharé, te lo prometo.I'll listen to you, I promise.
- Escucha bien lo que te digo.Listen carefully to what I tell you.
- No escuches a la gente negativa.Don't listen to negative people.
- ¿Has escuchado su nuevo disco?Have you listened to their new album?
Verbs like escuchar
Escuchar follows the regular -ar pattern. Like mirar (look at), esperar (wait for) and buscar (look for), it needs no extra preposition.
Frequently asked questions about escuchar
Is escuchar regular or irregular?
Escuchar is completely regular in every tense.
How do you conjugate escuchar in the present tense?
escucho, escuchas, escucha, escuchamos, escucháis, escuchan.
How do you conjugate escuchar in the preterite?
escuché, escuchaste, escuchó, escuchamos, escuchasteis, escucharon.
What is the difference between escuchar and oír?
Escuchar = listen (on purpose). Oír = hear (it just happens).
Is it "escuchar a" or just "escuchar"?
Just escuchar for things (escucho música); add a for people (escucho a mi madre).
What is the past participle of escuchar?
The past participle is escuchado and the gerund is escuchando.
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All 18 tenses of escuchar, on one page.
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