mirar
/mee-RAHR/
to look at
Mirar (to look at / to watch): The action of directing your eyes toward something.
mirar(Verb)
to look at
?Directing your eyes toward something.
to watch
?Observing something with attention for a period of time.
📝 In Action
¡Mira! Hay un gato en el techo.
A1Look! There's a cat on the roof.
¿Por qué me miras así?
A2Why are you looking at me like that?
Me gusta sentarme en el parque y mirar a la gente pasar.
B1I like to sit in the park and watch people go by.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'a' after 'mirar'
When you look at a person or a pet, you need to add the word 'a' right after 'mirar'. For example, 'Miro a mi amigo' (I'm looking at my friend). You don't need 'a' for regular objects: 'Miro la casa' (I'm looking at the house).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Mirar' and 'Ver'
Mistake: ""No te miro en la foto.""
Correction: "No te veo en la foto." (I don't see you in the photo.) 'Mirar' is the action of directing your eyes, while 'ver' is the result of perceiving something with your eyes. If you can't perceive someone, you use 'ver'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Getting Someone's Attention
Saying '¡Mira!' (Look!) is a super common and natural way to get someone's attention, just like saying 'Hey!' or 'Look!' in English before pointing something out.
Mirar (to check / to look up): To verify or examine information, such as a schedule or map.
mirar(Verb)
to check
?To verify or examine something.
to look up
?Finding information in a dictionary, schedule, etc.
📝 In Action
Voy a mirar el horario del autobús.
B1I'm going to check the bus schedule.
¿Puedes mirar si dejé las llaves en la mesa?
B1Can you check if I left the keys on the table?
Tengo que mirar una palabra en el diccionario.
B2I have to look up a word in the dictionary.
⭐ Usage Tips
Practical Information
This meaning of 'mirar' is all about action and information. You use it when you need to find something out: the time, a price, an address, or if you have a new message.
Mirar (to face / to overlook): Used to describe the orientation of a building or window toward a specific view or direction.
mirar(Verb)
to face
?A building's orientation or direction.
to overlook
?Having a view of a place.
📝 In Action
Nuestra habitación de hotel mira al mar.
B2Our hotel room faces the sea.
La fachada principal de la casa mira hacia el sur.
C1The main facade of the house faces south.
💡 Grammar Points
Used with Places, Not People
This meaning is almost always used for inanimate objects like windows, doors, balconies, and entire buildings. It describes the direction they are oriented.
⭐ Usage Tips
Add 'a' or 'hacia'
To specify the direction something faces, you'll almost always use 'mirar a' or 'mirar hacia'. For example, 'El balcón mira al parque' (The balcony overlooks the park).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mirar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'mirar' to mean 'to check'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'mirar' and 'ver'?
Think of it this way: 'mirar' is the action you do with your eyes (to look, to direct your gaze), while 'ver' is the result of that action (to see, to perceive). You 'miras' the TV (you direct your eyes at it) in order to 'ver' the movie (to see and understand it). They are often used interchangeably when talking about watching shows, but 'mirar' focuses more on the intention and action of looking.
Do I always need to add 'a' after 'mirar' when talking about people?
Yes, it's a very important rule. It's called the 'personal a'. Any time the thing that is 'receiving' the action of the verb is a specific person (or a pet you care about), you need to put 'a' before them. So, it's 'Miro la mesa' but 'Miro a mi madre'.