Inklingo

How to Say "he watched" in Spanish

The Spanish word forhe watchedis miróA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1

miró

VerbA1
e.g., watching a TV show
A high quality storybook illustration of a young boy standing outdoors in a sunny field, intently gazing at a bright red butterfly fluttering past him.

Examples

Él miró la foto y sonrió.

He looked at the photo and smiled.

La niña miró a su madre buscando permiso.

The girl looked at her mother, seeking permission.

Usted miró el menú por diez minutos antes de ordenar.

You (formal) looked at the menu for ten minutes before ordering.

The Preterite Tense

Miró is the preterite form, which means the action of looking started and finished quickly at a specific time in the past (e.g., 'He looked at the map').

Who Did the Looking?

This form (miró) is used for 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (the formal 'you'). Always check the context to know who performed the action.

Preterite vs. Imperfect

Mistake:Using 'miraba' when you mean a single, completed action.

Correction: Use 'miró' (preterite) for one-time, finished events ('She looked at him once'). Use 'miraba' (imperfect) for ongoing or habitual actions ('She used to look at him').

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