What does ver mean in Spanish? 👀

Should you say ver la película or mirar la película? Ver and mirar are two verbs that cause a lot of confusion among Spanish learners. And that’s because both verbs mean “to see,” “to look” or “to watch.” Even so, ver and mirar are not interchangeable. A reason a lot of people mix up them in their conversations is because of the English translation, which doesn’t correspond directly to the Spanish one. Today I’ll explain how to use these verbs in Spanish, offer examples, and guide you out of this confusion.

The meanings of ver and mirar

Ver is the equivalent of “to see” in English. Since it’s an irregular verb, I recommend having a look over how to conjugate ver in Spanish. An interesting thing about this verb is that it refers to a particular type of seeing, one in which you’re not consciously paying attention to what you’re looking at. On the other hand, mirar (see also how to conjugate mirar in Spanish) means “to look at” something or someone deliberately—you give it your full attention.

What does ver mean in Spanish?

Below you’ll find some examples and common situations in which you can use ver in Spanish:

• To illustrate the act of seeing someone or something
  • Vi el abrigo de Ana en el pasillo. (I saw Ana’s coat in the hallway.)
  • Vio el coche de tu padre. (She saw your dad’s car.)
• To watch TV, movies, plays, or sports
  • Queremos ver esa nueva película esta noche. (We want to see that new movie this evening.)
  • Megan está viendo la competencia de baile. (Megan’s watching the dancing competition.)
  • Ayer vimos la obra de teatro. (Yesterday we saw the play.)
• To talk about visiting somebody or a place
  • Es la segunda vez que veo a mi prima/o. (It’s the second time I’m visiting my cousin.)
  • Verónica vino a verme. (Veronica came to see me.)
  • Vamos a ver la nueva tienda. (Let’s see the new store.)
• To speak about possible results or outcomes
  • Ya veré que pasa. (I’ll see what happens.)
  • Voy a ver qué pasa. (I’m going to see what happens.)
• To show or indicate understanding
  • Ahora veo lo que intentas explicar. (Now I see what you’re trying to explain.)
  • Él no puede ver la diferencia. (He can’t see the difference.)

So if you’re watching a movie, it’s best to go with ver la película. We commonly use ver for this type of action (including watching TV, sports, and plays.) Unless you really want to grab someone’s attention or something really interesting has happened in the movie… In that case, to emphasize your point, go with ¡Mira la película! As a rule of thumb, combine ver + the act of watching a movie.

By the way, if you’re not sure sometimes whether to go with tu or su in your conversations, check out this article where I explain what’s the difference between tu and su in Spanish.

What does mirar mean in Spanish?

You’ve seen what ver means in Spanish, but what about mirar? The good news is that mirar is a regular verb, so conjugation-wise, it’s easier. Mirar is the equivalent of “to look (at)” in English. As I said above, mirar is mostly used in those situations when you consciously fix your attention or eyes on something. It’s a deliberate act. That’s one major difference between ver and mirar.

Let’s see some examples and situations with mirar in Spanish:

• To pay attention to someone or something(or ask for someone’s attention):
  • ¡Mira ese vestido! (Look at that dress!)
  • ¡Mira estos pájaros rojos! (Look at these red birds!)
  • Mira como lo hago yo, y luego intenta hacer lo mismo. (Look how I do it, then try to do the same.)
  • Mira lo que está pasando afuera. (Look what’s happening outside.)
  • Mira esto, ¿qué te parece? (Look at this, what do you think?)
  • Mira este bebé, que tierno. (Look at this baby, so cute.
• To illustrate the direction or orientation of something:
  • Mi casa mira al mar. (My house faces the sea.)
  • Mi habitación de hotel miraba a la plaza principal. (My hotel room faced the main square.)

The best trick to remember (so that you won’t confuse ver and mirar in Spanish ever again) is the one about deliberate looking. When you talk about seeing someone or something; watching TV, movies, plays, or sports; visiting someone or a place; possible results; or want to indicate understanding, go with ver. If you talk about paying attention or asking for someone’s full attention or awareness, go with mirar.

For a better understanding, I invite you to watch the video below as well. And if you’re interested in expanding your Spanish skills, you can always book a free consultation. If you need more clarification, please drop your question(s) in the comments. Thank you! 🙏