ouvir

Etymology

From Old Portuguese ouvyr, oyr, from earlier ouir, from Latin audīre, present active infinitive of audiō, a compound of Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewis (“clearly, manifestly”) (from the root *h₂ew- (“to see, perceive”)) and *dʰh₁-ye/o- (“to render”).

Cognate with Galician oír, Spanish oír, Catalan oir, Occitan ausir, French ouïr, Italian udire and Romanian auzi.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /owˈviɾ/
• Hyphenation: ou‧vir

Verb

ouvir (first-person singular present indicative ouço, past participle ouvido)

1. (transitive) to hear (to perceive with the ear, without necessarily paying attention to it)
   • 2005, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rocco, page 100:

     Se ao menos a gente pudesse ouvir o que estão dizendo!

     If at least we could hear what they're saying!