bajalinda - 3-31-2012 at 09:34 AM
We are having a debate at our house about the use of these 2 verbs.
Can "escuchar" sometimes also mean "hear" instead of "listen to"?
Example: No escuchamos nada. = We didn't hear anything.
Or is it better to say: "No oimos nada" if you want to say "We didn't hear anything." ?
We seem to notice people using "escuchar" when we would use "hear" in English.
woody with a view - 3-31-2012 at 09:38 AM
i think escuchar means "to listen" as oppossed to "listen to".
what did i win?
[Edited on 3-31-2012 by woody with a view]
Tano - 3-31-2012 at 10:04 AM
In general, escuchar is the equivalent of ‘listen’ and oír, of ‘hear’, but colloquially, sometimes escuchar is used when
oír is correct. For example, related to news/gossip:
Q. ¿Te enteraste que se murió fulano?
A. No escuché nada.
[Edited on 3-31-2012 by Tano]
Cyanide41 - 3-31-2012 at 03:31 PM
I agree with Tano. I think it is pretty common to interchange escuchar for oír, but don't take my word on it.
bajalinda - 4-1-2012 at 06:40 AM
Thanks everyone - that's pretty much what we've been thinking - that it must be a colloquial thing. At least we know we are hearing and listening
correctly and not imagining it.