How to Say I Can't Hear You in Spanish: Fast-Track Mastery Methods

Essential Spanish Phrases For I Can't Hear You

Spanish has a few ways to say "I can't hear you," depending on if you're being formal, informal, or talking to more than one person. The main choices: no te oigo, no puedo oírte, and no te escucho.

Informal Expressions for I Can't Hear You

• No te oigo: Standard for friends, family, peers.
• No puedo oírte: Adds "can't," so it's a bit stronger.
• No te escucho: Uses "escuchar" (to listen) instead of "oír" (to hear).
• All are informal, using "te" for "tú."

Formal and Plural Forms in Different Contexts

• No lo oigo: For someone you don’t know well, at work, or with elders.
• No los oigo / No puedo oírlos: Talking to a group. "Los" is the plural pronoun.

Nuanced Alternatives and Related Phrases

Other useful phrases:

• No te oigo bien – I can't hear you well
• No te entiendo – I can't understand you
• Habla más fuerte – Speak louder
• Hay mucho ruido – There's too much noise

Follow-up requests:

These related phrases help you get more specific about the problem.

Accelerating Real Comprehension And Language Acquisition

Microlearning Routine for Spanish Listening

• 3–5 phrases per session
• Play native audio 2–3 times
• Hide words for recall practice
• 5–8 minutes total per session

• Speak early and often, not just listen.
• Use spaced repetition: Day 1, Day 3, Day 7, Day 14.

When To Use Each Phrase: Context Table

Random Word Pairing for Better Recall

• Pick one random noun per session.
• Make a sentence with the target phrase + random word.
• Say it out loud, picture it.
• Repeat next day without looking.

• Mixing in unrelated words boosts recall by up to 60% after a month.
• Read one article daily and add new words for even more effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Spanish phrase to indicate hearing difficulties in a conversation?

• "Oír" is more common in Spain; "escuchar" pops up more in Mexico.
• Both verbs are used in Latin America, depends on the country.

How do you express inability to hear someone clearly in Spanish?

Direct:

• No te oigo bien (I can't hear you well)
• No puedo escucharte claramente (I can't hear you clearly)
• Te oigo mal (I hear you badly)
• No te escucho claro (I don't hear you clearly)

With a reason:

• Hay mucho ruido, no te oigo (Too much noise, I don't hear you)
• La línea está mala, no te escucho (Bad line, I don't hear you)
• Hablas muy bajo, no puedo oírte (You speak quietly, I can't hear you)

Add "bien," "mal," or "claramente" to specify the kind of trouble.

What expression is used in Spanish when you need someone to speak louder?

Combined example:

• No te oigo. ¿Puedes hablar más fuerte, por favor?
• No te escucho bien. Habla más alto.

Both "fuerte" and "alto" mean "louder" - you'll hear both, and they work pretty much everywhere.

In what ways can you ask someone to repeat themselves in Spanish due to not hearing them?

Standard repetition requests:

• ¿Puedes repetir? (Can you repeat?)
• ¿Qué dijiste? (What did you say?)
• ¿Cómo? (What? / How?)
• ¿Perdón? (Pardon?)
• ¿Mande? (Pardon? – Mexico)

Phrases mentioning hearing difficulty:

1. No te oí. ¿Puedes repetir, por favor? (I didn't hear you. Can you repeat, please?)
2. No escuché lo que dijiste. (I didn't hear what you said.)
3. ¿Qué? No te oigo. (What? I don't hear you.)
4. Disculpa, no te escuché bien. (Sorry, I didn't hear you well.)

Formal alternatives:

• ¿Podría repetir eso, por favor? (Could you repeat that, please?)
• No logré escuchar lo que dijo. (I didn't manage to hear what you said.)

Rule → Example:

Rule: Use "oí" or "escuché" in past tense to show you missed something already said.
Example: No te oí.

What are common responses to signify that you haven't heard something in Spanish?

Brief responses:

• ¿Qué? (What?)
• ¿Eh? (Huh?)
• ¿Cómo dices? (What are you saying?)
• ¿Perdona? (Excuse me?)

Context-specific responses:

Polite acknowledgments:

• Lo siento, no te oí. (Sorry, I didn't hear you.)
• Disculpa, ¿qué decías? (Sorry, what were you saying?)
• Perdona, no pude escucharte. (Forgive me, I couldn't hear you.)