Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Escucho el consejo de mi abuelo.

In Spanish, consejo is a masculine noun, so it takes the masculine article el. Nouns ending in -o are usually masculine, although there are exceptions. This is why we use el consejo (masc.) instead of la consejo (fem.).

What’s the difference between escuchar and oír in Spanish?

Both verbs relate to hearing, but escuchar implies actively listening or paying attention, whereas oír refers to the more passive act of perceiving sound. In this sentence, escucho el consejo emphasizes that you’re actively giving attention to the advice being given.

Could I say escucho a mi abuelo instead of escucho el consejo de mi abuelo?

Yes, but it would change the focus. Saying escucho a mi abuelo emphasizes listening to the person (your grandfather). By contrast, escucho el consejo de mi abuelo makes it clear you’re focusing on the advice he gives, rather than just listening to him in general.

Why do we use de mi abuelo rather than a mi abuelo in this sentence?

The phrase de mi abuelo indicates possession or origin of the advice (it’s my grandfather’s advice). If you used a mi abuelo, it would typically mean you’re listening to your grandfather directly. Here, the direct object is el consejo, not abuelo, so we say de mi abuelo.

Is consejo usually singular, or could we say escucho los consejos de mi abuelo?

You can use the plural consejos if you want to indicate multiple pieces of advice. In everyday speech, speakers often use un consejo (a piece of advice) or consejos (pieces of advice) depending on how many individual tips they’re talking about. Both singular and plural forms are correct, but the singular consejo generally refers to the overall guidance or a single piece of advice.