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"Escuchar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to listen to", and "deber" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to owe". Learn more about the difference between "escuchar" and "deber" below.
escuchar(
ehs
-
koo
-
chahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to listen to
Escucha al profesor siempre que te dé instrucciones.Always listen to the teacher when you are given instructions.
Ella suele escuchar jazz de camino al trabajo.She usually listens to jazz on her way to work.
2. (to discern) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
3. (to heed)
a. to listen to
¿Me escucharás si te digo que no desesperes?Will you listen to me if I tell you not to panic?
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
escucharse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
a. to listen to oneself
A veces me escucho y no sé lo que digo.Sometimes I listen to myself and I don't know what I'm saying.
b. to hear oneself
Le encanta escucharse contando sus cuentos y haciendo a sus amigas reir.She loves hearing herself telling her stories and making her friends laugh.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¿Pero tú te escuchas? ¿Sabes lo loco que suena eso?Listen to yourself! Do you know how wacky that sounds?
Mi jefa no para de hablar en reuniones porque que le encanta escucharse.My boss never stops talking in meetings because she loves the sound of her own voice.
A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).
a. to listen to each other
No sé cuándo paramos de escucharnos.I don't know when we stopped listening to each other.
deber(
deh
-
behr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
An auxiliary verb, or helper verb, is a conjugated verb that comes before a main verb and determines the main verb's tense, mood, or aspect (e.g., I have gone.).
a. must
¿Cuántos años tiene tu profesora de francés? - Debe tener unos cuarenta.How old is your French teacher? - She must be around forty.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
b. obligation
Es tu deber como madre cuidar a tus hijos.It's your obligation as a mother to take care of your children.
los deberes
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
6. (education)
a. homework
Tengo un montón de deberes que hacer este fin de semana.I have a ton of homework to do this weekend.
deberse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to be due to
Esta situación se debe a la falta de información.This situation is due to a lack of information.
