When should I use oreja vs. oído?

Use oreja when you mean the outer, visible part of the ear — the part you can touch, pierce, or cover with headphones. Use oído when referring to the inner ear, hearing ability, or the act of listening. A doctor treating an ear infection would say infección de oído, while describing big ears uses orejas grandes.

What is the plural of oreja and oído?

The plural of oreja is orejas, and the plural of oído is oídos. Both follow standard Spanish pluralization by adding -s.

How do you say 'earache' in Spanish?

An earache is dolor de oído, since the pain originates inside the ear. You might say: Tengo dolor de oído — I have an earache.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Ear in Spanish: Oreja and Oído

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Oreja · noun (feminine) · oh-REH-hah

Spanish has two words for ear: <b>oreja</b> refers to the outer, visible part of the ear, while <b>oído</b> refers to the inner ear or the sense of hearing.

oh-REH-hah (oreja) / oh-EE-doh (oído)

Me duele la oreja izquierda desde ayer.

My left ear has been hurting since yesterday.

Ear in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for ear, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
oreja	ear	oh-REH-hah	Default, widely understood
oído	ear		inner ear / sense of hearing

How Native Speakers Use Oreja

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Physical description

El perro tiene las orejas muy largas.

The dog has very long ears.

Describing the visible ears of an animal.

Medical context

Tengo una infección en el oído y necesito ir al doctor.

I have an ear infection and need to go to the doctor.

Talking about an inner-ear health issue.

Whispering

Le dijo un secreto al oído.

She whispered a secret in his ear.

Using oído in the sense of hearing or listening closely.

Piercing

Quiero hacerme otro agujero en la oreja.

I want to get another hole in my ear.

Referring to ear piercings on the outer ear.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Oreja

Using oído for the outer ear

Incorrect: Me puse los aretes en el oído.

Correct: Me puse los aretes en la oreja.

Oído refers to the inner ear or the sense of hearing. For the physical, visible ear where you wear earrings, use oreja.

Using oreja for hearing ability

Incorrect: Ella tiene buena oreja para la música.

Correct: Ella tiene buen oído para la música.

When talking about someone's ear for music or ability to hear, the correct word is oído, which relates to the sense of hearing.

Lock in Ear Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Oreja used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using oreja in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Me duele la oreja izquierda desde ayer. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Ear in Spanish

When should I use oreja vs. oído?: Use oreja when you mean the outer, visible part of the ear — the part you can touch, pierce, or cover with headphones. Use oído when referring to the inner ear, hearing ability, or the act of listening. A doctor treating an ear infection would say infección de oído, while describing big ears uses orejas grandes.
What is the plural of oreja and oído?: The plural of oreja is orejas, and the plural of oído is oídos. Both follow standard Spanish pluralization by adding -s.
How do you say 'earache' in Spanish?: An earache is dolor de oído, since the pain originates inside the ear. You might say: Tengo dolor de oído — I have an earache.