Portuguese Phrase
Não tô ouvindo bem.
Meaning
The speaker is saying that they are having difficulty hearing clearly. It can refer to a noisy environment, a problem with a device, or a temporary hearing issue.
When to use
Use this informal sentence when you want to tell a friend, colleague, or anyone in a casual setting that you can’t hear them properly. It’s common in phone calls, classrooms, or crowded places.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Nãotôouvindobem
Negação (Não)
‘Não’ placed before the verb negates the whole clause, equivalent to ‘not’ in English.
Contração informal (tô)
‘tô’ is the colloquial contraction of ‘estou’, the first‑person singular of the verb ‘estar’ used in everyday spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Gerúndio (ouvindo)
‘ouvindo’ is the gerund form of ‘ouvir’ (to hear), forming the progressive ‘estou ouvindo’ → ‘tô ouvindo’ meaning ‘am hearing’.
Advérbio de modo (bem)
‘bem’ modifies the verb, indicating the quality of the hearing: ‘well’ or ‘clearly’.
🗨In Conversation
Não tô ouvindo bem.
I’m not hearing well.
Pode falar mais alto, por favor?
Could you speak louder, please?
✕Common Mistakes
Não tô ouvir bem.
‘Ouvir bem’ is a literal translation of ‘hear well’, but the progressive form ‘ouvindo’ is needed for the present‑continuous sense.
Tô ouvindo não bem.
Placing ‘não’ after the adverb changes the meaning; the negation must precede the verb.
Não tô ouvindo bem, senhor.
In formal contexts, replace the informal contraction with the full verb ‘estou’. Using ‘tô’ in a business email would be considered too casual.
↔Alternatives
Não consigo ouvir bem.
I can’t hear well.
Estou com dificuldade para ouvir.
I’m having difficulty hearing.
Não estou ouvindo bem.
I’m not hearing well.
Cultural Tip
The contraction ‘tô’ is typical of informal spoken Brazilian Portuguese and is rarely used in formal writing or in Portugal. When you need to sound more formal, replace it with ‘estou’. Also, avoid over‑using ‘bem’ after verbs of perception; ‘bem’ can be replaced by ‘claramente’ for extra emphasis.