Escuchar is "to listen TO", correct?

Question

Hola a todos y felices fiestas

I'm a little confused as to whether "escuchar" means to listen or to listen to.

Our dictionary has both to listen and to listen to listed.

My gut instinct is telling me that it is to listen to and that I should not write escuchar a. Am I correct?

Answer 1

You are correct. You do not need "a". Escucho la radio.

In another post someone used the example "escucho a mi amigo" The "a" in this example is the personal "a" attached to the person NOT to the verb.

Gracias, gringo :D - SonrisaDelSol, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 2

This is a great question which I have never thought about. You can use escuchar in two ways. I will list two simple examples: Yo escucho la música clásica. Yo escucho a mi amiga, quien habla incesantemente. There is a fine distinction between escuchar and escuchar a. The difference is that you use escuchar for an inanimate object (I know this is a weird way to phrase it but I basically mean when you listen to music). When you listen to a person, you would use escuchar a as I have in the last sentence. Hope this helps!

I think you'll find that the 'a' in your example is the personal a that is necessary when a person is the direct object of the verb and isn't connected at all to escuchar :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 28, 2011

WRONG. In your example the "a" is the personal "a" attached to the person not the verb. - gringojrf, Dec 28, 2011

Thanks, Span4yrs. I see what you are saying --- "escuchar a" if we have a person as the DO, thank you! - SonrisaDelSol, Dec 28, 2011

You're welcome! :) And thank you KiwiGirl and gringojrf for correcting me. I learnt something new today! - span4yrs, Dec 29, 2011

Answer 3

It is the difference between transitive and intrasitive verbs. A verb

Intransitive verbs are the verbs which requires only one participant. For example

Estoy comiendo

Transitive verbs requires two participants

Estoy comiendo huevos.

escuchar can be transitive or intransitive :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 28, 2011

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta?TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=escuchar - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 28, 2011

Of course. Some verbs can be transitive or intransitive. It depends on the context of the phrase. Of course, there are some verbs which doesnt have sense to be transitive or intransitive - Acermax, Dec 28, 2011

Gracias, Acermax! - SonrisaDelSol, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 4

It can mean both. For example.

1. Escuchame! = Listen to me!
2. Los lunes escucho la musica= On mondays i listen to music.
3. Es facil de escuchar musica= it is easy to listen to music.

It just depends.

Gracias, yaction! - SonrisaDelSol, Dec 28, 2011