Inklingo

How to Say "to look" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to look” is “parecer” — use this for a general visual impression or how someone or something appears, especially regarding their state (e.g., tired, happy, good).

English → Spanish

parecer

pah-reh-SEHRpaɾeˈseɾ

verbA1general
Use this for a general visual impression or how someone or something appears, especially regarding their state (e.g., tired, happy, good).
A person looking at a faint, slightly blurry silhouette of a large shape in the distance on a sunny hill, illustrating uncertainty about the appearance.

Examples

Pareces cansado hoy.

You look tired today.

El examen parece difícil.

The exam seems difficult.

Parece que va a llover.

It looks like it is going to rain.

The 'Z' Change

In the present tense, the 'yo' form changes to 'parezco'. This 'zc' sound also appears in all forms of the Present Subjunctive (parezca).

Looking like vs. Looking at

Don't confuse 'parecer' (to look a certain way) with 'mirar' (to look AT something). Use 'parecer' to describe appearances.

Using 'Como'

Mistake: “Pareces como cansado.”

Correction: Pareces cansado.

verse

vehr-sehˈbeɾse

verbB1general
Use this reflexively to describe how you yourself appear or seem, often about your physical state or condition.
A young person sitting on a bench, looking exhausted, yawning and rubbing their tired eyes.

Examples

Después del maratón, me veo agotado.

After the marathon, I look/feel exhausted.

Ella se ve muy feliz en su nuevo trabajo.

She seems very happy in her new job.

No me veo viviendo en una ciudad tan grande.

I don't imagine myself living in such a big city.

Talking About Appearance

When 'verse' means 'to look' or 'to seem,' it is always followed by an adjective (like 'cansado' or 'feliz').

Confusing 'Verse' and 'Parecer'

Mistake: “Using 'Me parezco cansado.'”

Correction: Use 'Me veo cansado.' 'Parecer' means 'to look like' someone else, not 'to seem' or 'to look' a certain way personally.

aparentar

ah-pah-rehn-tarapaɾenˈtaɾ

verbB1general
Use this specifically when talking about how old someone appears, often implying they look younger than their actual age.
A man with grey hair and a youthful face wearing a modern outfit.

Examples

Ella aparenta menos edad de la que tiene.

She looks younger than she actually is.

No tienes que aparentar que estás feliz si no lo estás.

You don't have to pretend that you're happy if you're not.

Mucha gente gasta dinero que no tiene solo por aparentar.

Many people spend money they don't have just to show off.

Using it for age

When you want to say someone looks a certain age, follow the verb directly with the number: 'Ella aparenta treinta años'.

Aparentar vs. Parecer

Use 'aparentar' when someone is actively showing an image (sometimes a false one) and 'parecer' for general impressions.

Age with 'to look'

Mistake: “Ella mira joven.”

Correction: Ella aparenta ser joven o Ella parece joven. 'Mirar' is for the act of looking at something, not your appearance.

representar

reh-preh-sehn-TARrepɾesenˈtaɾ

verbB2general
Use this when specifically stating that someone appears to be a certain age, often in contrast to their real age.
An older person with gray hair and glasses smiling warmly.

Examples

Él tiene 50 años, pero representa muchos menos.

He is 50, but he looks much younger.

Este cambio representa un gran esfuerzo para nosotros.

This change involves a great effort for us.

quedarnos

keh-DAHR-noskeˈðaɾnos

verbB1general
This is generally not used for 'to look' in the sense of appearance, but rather to describe how something fits or how a situation turns out (e.g., running out of something).
A large, clear glass bowl that is mostly empty, containing just three small, distinct colorful candies resting at the bottom.

Examples

Tenemos que ahorrar para no quedarnos sin dinero antes de fin de mes.

We have to save so we don't run out of money before the end of the month.

Si compramos eso, solo nos va a quedarnos un poco de cambio.

If we buy that, we are only going to be left with a little change.

Después de la discusión, decidimos quedarnos en silencio.

After the argument, we decided to end up in silence (remain silent).

Running Out of Things

To express that 'we ran out of' something, use the structure 'quedarnos sin + noun.' Example: 'quedarnos sin luz' (to run out of electricity).

Describing Appearance

The phrase 'quedarnos + adjective' describes the result of an action or how we look/feel: 'quedarnos cansados' (to end up tired).

Mixing up 'Left Over' Forms

Mistake: “Nosotros sobró dinero. (Using the impersonal 'sobrar' with a subject pronoun.)”

Correction: Nos quedamos con dinero. (Use 'quedarse con' to mean 'to be left possessing' or 'Nos quedó dinero' if using the impersonal form of 'quedar'.)

Appearance vs. Age

Learners often confuse 'parecer' and 'aparentar'/'representar'. Remember that 'parecer' is for general visual impressions (looking tired, happy), while 'aparentar' and 'representar' are specifically about how old someone looks.

Related Translations

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