espiar
“espiar” means “to spy” in Spanish (to observe secretly).
to spy
Also: to snoop, to watch secretly
📝 In Action
Los niños espían a sus padres para ver dónde esconden los dulces.
A2The children are spying on their parents to see where they hide the candy.
Él cree que el gobierno está espiando su teléfono.
B1He believes the government is spying on his phone.
No está bien espiar las conversaciones de los demás.
B2It is not right to snoop on other people's conversations.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: espiar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I spy' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Gothic word 'spaiha' (spy), which entered Spanish through Germanic influence. It shares the same ancient root as the English word 'spy'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'espiar' only mean professional spying?
No, it is used for any secret watching, including snooping on social media or peaking through a door.
Why is there an accent in 'espío' but not in 'limpio'?
Verbs like espiar, enviar, and confiar have a 'strong i' that requires an accent in certain present tense forms to keep the sound separate from the 'o' or 'a'.
Is 'espiar' a common word?
Yes, especially in the modern age of digital privacy and 'spy' movies.