Qué significa "oiga...oigo"

Question

Hello, I have a question about the usage of the terms "oiga" and "oigo"

I heard it in a Spanish radio station where one person said "oiga" and another person responded with "oigo"

My guess is it translates to something like "Do you hear me?" and "I hear you." Like I said, I am just guessing, since I don't know what tense oiga falls under. Maybe it's slang or informal/colloquial?

Can anyone confirm or better clarify my guess? Gracias!

Answer 1

Adding to what manity stated.

It also means hear ye

:D

Edit for jamboo

do you hear me = me escuchas/oyes?

hear = escucha/oye

Oye, qué bueno es verte por aquí :) - Manity, Apr 23, 2015

You know, I've been a lawyer for more than 30 years, and I never made the connection between the Spanish word "oye" and what the bailiff says when court opens: "Oye, oye, oye! Civil District Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Smith presiding!" - Winkfish, Apr 23, 2015

I feel like a fool! ;-) - Winkfish, Apr 23, 2015

Wink, in Sweidhs Oj, oj, oj,is just a lament.. things are worse tha aj, aj aj.. - annierats, Apr 23, 2015

:) - chileno, Apr 23, 2015

Answer 2

This is just the way the verb oír is conjugated: oír.

oigo - 1st p. present tense, indicative

oiga - imperative, usted form (or subjunctive but this would require a full sentence)

Oh so it is a conjugation--could this make sense? "Chicos latinos son lindos! Oiga?" "Oigo!" Kind of like the English saying "You hear me?/You feel me?" and "I hear you!/I feel you!" ? - Jambooflamingo, Apr 23, 2015

Yes, I think you're on the right track. Oye/oiga can be used in a variety of situations, in your example it sounds to me like "Right?" "Right!". Hopefully a native speaker will set us both right if we're missing something important here. :) - Manity, Apr 23, 2015

See my entry... please. - chileno, Apr 23, 2015