¿Puedo ver YouTube?
The English phrase "can I watch youtube?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Puedo ver YouTube?
It is common in Spanish to use a rising intonation at the end of the question.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Puedo (I can/am able to), ver (to watch/see) and YouTube.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the request more polite and indirect, you can use the conditional form ¿Podría ver YouTube? which means "Could I watch YouTube?" To answer the question with a negative, you change the first-person puedo to the second-person puedes or puede depending on the level of formality, as seen in No puedes ver YouTube.
Did you know?
- The verb ver shares a common ancestor with the English words 'wit' and 'wise'. Both the Spanish verb and these English words trace back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to see' or 'to know'.
- While YouTube is a borrowed English word, Spanish speakers often treat it as a masculine noun, which affects how they describe the content they watch on it.
- The word ver is much more versatile than its English counterpart 'to see', often covering the concept of 'to visit' in certain contexts, such as 'ver a un amigo'.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿puedo acceder a YouTube?Excuse me, may I access YouTube?
- ¿Me permitiría ver videos en YouTube, por favor?Would you allow me to watch videos on YouTube, please?
- ¿Puedo ver YouTube?Can I watch YouTube?
- Oye, ¿me dejas ver YouTube?Hey, can I watch YouTube?
- Si termino la tarea, ¿puedo ver YouTube?If I finish my homework, can I watch YouTube?
Example conversation
Javier asks Elena for permission to use the tablet.
- JavierElena, ¿puedo ver YouTube?Elena, can I watch YouTube?
- ElenaNo, primero tienes que estudiar.No, first you have to study.
- JavierSolo diez minutos, por favor.Just ten minutes, please.
- ElenaEstá bien, pero solo diez minutos.All right, but only ten minutes.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries YouTube, ver, CC BY-SA 4.0.
