Inklingo

How to Say "to witness" in Spanish

The Spanish word forto witnessis presenciarB1 level.

English → SpanishB1
verbB1
seeing an event happen firsthand
A child watching a beautiful colorful parade from a sidewalk.

Examples

Mucha gente presenció el accidente en la calle principal.

Many people witnessed the accident on the main street.

Fue un honor presenciar el discurso del presidente.

It was an honor to witness the president's speech.

Queremos presenciar el eclipse desde la montaña.

We want to witness the eclipse from the mountain.

Using the Personal 'a'

Even though you witness an event (no 'a' needed), if you witness a person doing something specific, you might need the personal 'a': 'Presencié a Juan ganar la carrera'.

Ver vs. Presenciar

While 'ver' is just to see, 'presenciar' implies you are actually there in the moment, usually for something noteworthy.

Confusing with 'Presentar'

Mistake:Voy a presenciar mi proyecto mañana.

Correction: Voy a presentar mi proyecto mañana. 'Presenciar' means you are watching, 'Presentar' means you are showing.

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