oye

Oye is a word in Spanish that primarily serves as the informal imperative meaning “listen” and as an interjection used to attract someone’s attention. It is the tú command form of oír, the verb “to hear,” and is commonly used at the start of a sentence, as in “Oye, ¿qué pasa?” meaning “Hey, what’s up?” The form also appears as the third‑person singular present indicative of oír (él oye, ella oye) or with usted in formal address, though the imperative usage is by far the most common in everyday speech.

Origin and pronunciation: Oye derives from the verb oír, which in turn comes from Latin audīre. In many Spanish varieties, “oye” is pronounced with a soft palatal sound, and its grammatical role remains tied to hearing, address, or exclamation rather than carrying a separate lexical meaning.

Other uses: Beyond everyday speech, Oye appears in toponymy and onomastics as a place name or surname in various regions, though no single locale dominates. The specifics vary by language and country, so individual references require disambiguation.

In culture: The word also appears in music and media, reflecting its recognizability in Spanish-language contexts. Notably, the song title “Oye Como Va” begins with Oye, illustrating its use as a memorable introductory term in popular culture.