mira
“mira” means “Look” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
Look, Hey
Also: Listen, See
📝 In Action
¡Mira! Un colibrí en el jardín.
A1Look! A hummingbird in the garden.
Mira, no creo que sea una buena idea ir tan tarde.
A2Look, I don't think it's a good idea to go so late.
Mira que te lo dije.
B1See, I told you so.
Look (at)
Also: Watch
📝 In Action
Mira este video, es muy gracioso.
A1Watch this video, it's very funny.
¡Mira por dónde caminas!
A2Watch where you're going!
Mira a ambos lados antes de cruzar la calle.
A1Look both ways before crossing the street.
he/she looks (at), you look (at)
Also: he/she watches
📝 In Action
El gato mira por la ventana.
A1The cat looks out the window.
Mi abuela mira su telenovela todas las tardes.
A2My grandmother watches her soap opera every afternoon.
¿Qué mira usted con tanto interés?
B1What are you (formal) looking at with such interest?
sight
Also: aim, viewfinder
📝 In Action
El cazador ajustó la mira de su rifle.
B2The hunter adjusted the sight of his rifle.
Tiene la mira puesta en ganar el campeonato.
C1He has his sights set on winning the championship.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mira
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'mira' to get someone's attention, not as a command to look?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'mīrāri', which means 'to wonder at, to admire'. This is why related Spanish words like 'admirar' (to admire) and 'maravilla' (marvel, wonder) share the same root.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'mira' and 've'?
'Mira' is about the action of directing your eyes at something ('Look at that bird!'). 'Ve' comes from the verb 'ver' (to see) and is more about the ability to perceive with your eyes ('I can't see the bird'). While they can sometimes be used in similar ways, 'mira' is an action, and 'ver' is a sense.
How do I know if 'mira' means 'look!' (command) or 'he/she looks' (statement)?
It's all about context! If someone says '¡Mira!' and points, it's a command. If it's in a sentence like 'Juan mira la tele', it's describing what Juan is doing. The exclamation marks are a big clue for the command form!