Using Spanish to Say Look and Watch

Although the Spanish verbs ver and mirar can both mean to see, to look, or to watch, they usually arent interchangeable. Their differences also dont always correspond directly to the differences among the English verbs that have similar meanings. Using Ver and A Ver is commonly used in the following situations: To indicate the simple act of seeing something or someone. Vi el coche de tu madre. I saw your mothers car. No puedo ver las imà ¡genes. I cant see the pictures. To refer to the watching of television, a play, or a movie. Queremos ver Survivor esta noche. We want to watch Survivor tonight.  ¿Vas a ver la nueva pelà ­cula de Almodà ³var? Are you going to see the new Almodà ³var film? To refer to watching a sporting event. Me gustà ³ ver el segundo partido del torneo. I enjoyed watching the second game of the tournament. To refer to the anticipation of an outcome. A very common example of this is the idiom a ver, which typically is translated as lets see or well see. A ver si podà ©is ayudarme. Lets see if you can help me. Voy a ver quà © pasa. Im going to see what happens. To indicate understanding. No veo por que hay un doble està ¡ndar. I dont see why theres a double standard. To refer to a visit with someone. Es la tercera vez que voy a verlo. Its the third time Im going to see him. Using Mirar Mirar is commonly used in the following situations: To indicate deliberate looking, rather than mere seeing. Yo te miraba de afuera. I gazed at you from afar. Miraron a la derecha y a la izquierda. They looked right and left. To indicate the orientation of something. El hotel mira al mar. The hotel faces the sea. Note that ver is conjugated irregularly. Sample Sentences Showing Uses of Ver and Mirar El hotel mira todo el movimiento en la plaza. The hotel looks over all the action in the plaza. Hay cosas que no quiero ver. There are things I dont want to see. El nià ±o habà ­a visto a uno de ellos golpear a otros compaà ±eros de escuela y lo reportà ³ a la policà ­a. The boy had seen one of them strike other classmates and reported it to the police. Cuando Galileo miraba directamente al cielo, veà ­a al brillante Venus. When Galileo looked directly at the sky, he saw the brilliant Venus. Se miraron uno a otro con admiracià ³n. They admiringly looked at each other. Cuando se vieron uno a otro ella dijo, Hola. When they saw each other, she said, Hello. No quiero ver cuando me miras.   I dont want to see when youre looking at me. Miraron hacia los cerros y vieron una zona verde iluminada por los rayos del Sol. They looked toward the hills and saw a green area illuminated by the suns rays. Other Verbs That Can Be Used for Looking or Watching Buscar usually means to look for or to seek something. Note that it is not followed by a preposition meaning for. Se dice que Juan Ponce de Leà ³n siempre buscaba la fuente de la juventud. It is said that Juan Ponce de Leà ³n was always looking for the fountain of youth. Busquemos la verdad y la hallaremos. Lets look for the truth and we will find it. Revisar is often used to refer to examining or looking over something carefully. Revisamos todos los historiales mà ©dicos. We looked over all the medical histories. En cada una de las puertas, los miembros de seguridad revisaron los papeles requeridos para el ingreso de los estudiantes. At each of the entry points, the members of the security team looked over the papers required for the students admission. Observar can be used much like observe. No pude observar nada, dado que yo me quedà © fuera en la calle. I couldnt observe anything because I was left outside on the street. Quisieron observar la ciudad de noche. They wanted to observe the city at night. Fijarse sometimes means to focus visually on something.  ¡Fà ­jate en el camino! Keep your eyes on the road! Los viajeros se fijaron en los relojes y aretes de diamantes. The travelers keep their eyes on their watches and diamond earrings.