Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| investigar | /imbestiˈɡaɾ/ | |
| chequear | /t͡ʃekeˈaɾ/ | |
| checar | /t͡ʃeˈkaɾ/ | alternative form |
You can use investigar to mean to investigate or research a topic or situation thoroughly. If you mean to examine or scrutinize details, use examinar. For more closely assessing or watching something, use observar. In formal business or professional settings, you might use revisar to mean reviewing something or verificar when you are checking the accuracy or authenticity of something.
Which one should you use?
Use investigar when the checking out implies a formal investigation or deep inquiry. For casual or informal actions, such as 'to take a look', you can use the colloquial expressions echar un vistazo or echar un ojo, which means to throw an eye or take a glance. While chequear and checar are used to mean 'to check', they are informal anglicisms.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, use revisar (to review) or verificar (to verify). For a formal investigation or deep inquiry, use investigar. In informal or everyday speech, you can use the anglicisms chequear or checar or the colloquial phrases echar un vistazo and echar un ojo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Latin America, the colloquial form checar is very common as an alternative to chequear.
How do you pronounce it?
/imbestiˈɡaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use chequear fuera to mean 'to check out of a hotel'. If you are checking out of an accommodation, you should instead use dejar la habitación or hacer el registro de salida.
Did you know?
- The word investigar comes from the Latin investīgāre, which originally meant 'to track' or 'to trace the footprints' of someone.
- While 'to check out' in English can mean to look at someone attractively, using the Spanish verb investigar in that context would make you sound like a detective stalking a suspect.
- While echar un vistazo and echar un ojo are interchangeable, the latter is slightly more common when asking someone to keep a watch over something.
Examples in context
- Debemos verificar la información antes de compartirla.We should check out/verify the information before sharing it.
- Vamos a echar un vistazo a esa tienda de ropa.Let's go check out that clothing store.
- Me puedes decir cómo es el nuevo teléfono? Quiero echarle un ojo antes de comprarlo.Can you tell me about the new phone? I want to check it out before buying it.
- La policía debe investigar el caso.The police must investigate the case.
- Necesito investigar la causa del error.I need to investigate the cause of the error.
- Ellos van a investigar el área nueva.They are going to investigate the new area.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are looking at a strange noise in the house.
- DanielOigo un ruido en el jardín.I hear a noise in the garden.
- SofíaYo voy a investigar qué es.I will go check out what it is.
- DanielTen cuidado, Sofía.Be careful, Sofía.
- SofíaNo te preocupes, Daniel.Don't worry, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “check out” translations and entries investigar, chequear, checar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chequear, investigar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
