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How to Say "we watched" in Spanish

English → Spanish

vimos

/BEE-mohs//ˈbi.mos/

VerbA1General
Use 'vimos' when you are talking about the past action of observing or seeing something, like a movie or a show.
A simple illustration showing two figures standing together, intently observing a large, colorful butterfly resting on a bright pink flower. Both figures have wide, focused eyes.

Examples

Ayer vimos una película muy interesante en el cine.

Yesterday we saw a very interesting movie at the cinema.

¿Vimos a María en la fiesta anoche? No recuerdo.

Did we see Maria at the party last night? I don't remember.

Finalmente, vimos que el problema era más simple de lo que pensábamos.

Finally, we realized that the problem was simpler than we thought.

Preterite Tense

This form ('vimos') is used for actions that happened quickly and were completed in the past. Think of it as a specific, finished event: 'We saw it and then it was over.'

Irregularity of 'Ver'

Even though 'ver' ends in -er, its preterite forms (like 'vimos') are very short and don't have the usual accent marks like many other past tense verbs.

Confusing Past Tenses

Mistake: “Usando 'veíamos' cuando se debe usar 'vimos'.”

Correction: 'Vimos' (preterite) means 'We saw once' (a finished action). 'Veíamos' (imperfect) means 'We used to see' or 'We were seeing' (ongoing action or habit).

miramos

/mee-RAH-mohs//miˈɾamos/

VerbA2General
Use 'miramos' when referring to the act of looking at something, especially something like photos or a display, often implying a more deliberate or extended observation.
A group of friends pointing at a large, colorful painting on a museum wall.

Examples

Ayer miramos el álbum de fotos.

Yesterday we looked at the photo album.

Spotting the Past

Since 'miramos' looks like the present, look for words like 'ayer' (yesterday) or 'anoche' (last night) to confirm it means 'we looked'.

Vimos vs. Miramos

Learners often confuse 'vimos' and 'miramos' because both can relate to seeing or watching. Remember that 'vimos' is for the act of perceiving something (like a movie), while 'miramos' implies a more focused, often longer, look (like at photos).

Related Translations

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