La otoscopia permite observar el conducto auditivo.

Because otoscopia is a feminine noun in Spanish, so it takes the feminine singular article la.

This is something you usually just learn together with the noun:

• la otoscopia
• la radiografía
• la endoscopia

A useful pattern is that many medical procedure nouns ending in -ia are feminine.

Because the subject is la otoscopia, which is singular.

So the verb must also be singular:

• La otoscopia permite... = singular
• Las otoscopias permiten... = plural

Even though the sentence talks about observing something, the grammatical subject is still the otoscopy procedure, not the people doing it.

After permitir, Spanish commonly uses an infinitive to say that something allows or makes possible an action.

Structure:

• permitir + infinitive

So:

• permite observar = allows [someone] to observe

More examples:

• Este método permite detectar problemas.
• La prueba permite confirmar el diagnóstico.

Spanish does not need a word equivalent to English to before the second verb in this structure.

There is no separate word for to here. In Spanish, the infinitive observar already covers that idea.

Compare:

• English: allows [someone] to observe
• Spanish: permite observar

This is very common:

• puede ayudar = can help
• necesita estudiar = needs to study
• permite observar = allows to observe / allows one to observe

Spanish often uses the definite article where English might not, especially with body parts, anatomical structures, and general scientific descriptions.

So el conducto auditivo sounds natural in this context:

• observar el conducto auditivo

It refers to the anatomical structure in a general, standard way, not necessarily a specific ear already mentioned in the conversation.

This is similar to:

• examinar la garganta
• revisar el oído
• observar la retina

Auditivo is an adjective meaning auditory. In Spanish, adjectives usually come after the noun.

So:

• conducto = duct / canal
• auditivo = auditory
• conducto auditivo = auditory canal

The adjective must agree with the noun:

• el conducto auditivo — masculine singular
• los conductos auditivos — masculine plural

Yes, in many contexts canal auditivo is also used and may sound more familiar to learners because it resembles English ear canal.

However, conducto auditivo is also perfectly correct and natural, especially in medical or anatomical language. The exact preference can depend on context, register, or specialist wording.

So both can be valid:

• el conducto auditivo
• el canal auditivo

Observar sounds more precise and more technical here.

Very roughly:

• ver = to see
• mirar = to look at
• observar = to observe, examine carefully

In a medical sentence, observar is a very natural choice because it suggests careful visual examination, not just casual looking.

In Spain, it is pronounced approximately:

o-to-SKO-pia

The stress is on sko:

• o-to-SCO-pia

A few pronunciation notes:

• c before o sounds like k
• pia is pronounced as two syllabic elements together at the end, roughly pya

Because Spanish often leaves the agent unstated when it is obvious, unknown, or unimportant.

Here the sentence focuses on what the procedure makes possible:

• La otoscopia permite observar el conducto auditivo.

It does not need to say al médico or al especialista, although it could in a longer sentence:

• La otoscopia permite al médico observar el conducto auditivo.

Without that extra phrase, the meaning is still complete and natural.

It is a general statement. The sentence is describing what otoscopy does in general.

That is why the present tense works well:

• La otoscopia permite... = Otoscopy allows... / Otoscopy makes it possible...

Spanish often uses the present tense for definitions, scientific facts, and general truths.