vigila
“vigila” means “watches” in Spanish (He/She/It watches).
watches, guardsAlso: monitors, Watch!
📝 In Action
El perro vigila la casa de noche.
A1The dog guards the house at night.
Ella siempre vigila que todo esté en orden antes de irse.
A2She always checks (monitors) that everything is in order before leaving.
¡Vigila que nadie entre al almacén!
B1Watch (make sure) that no one enters the warehouse!
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: vigila
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'vigila' as a command?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
Comes directly from the Latin verb *vigilare*, meaning 'to be watchful' or 'to keep awake.' The root is related to the idea of being active during the night.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'vigilar' only used for security guards?
No. While it's used for security (vigilante), it's also used in everyday life to mean 'keep an eye on' or 'monitor,' such as watching children or supervising a cooking process.
How is 'vigilar' different from 'mirar'?
'Mirar' means simply 'to look at' or 'to watch' something passively (like watching TV). 'Vigilar' means to watch with a purpose, usually to guard, protect, or supervise carefully.