Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| percatarse/coscarse/apiolarse de | |
| darse cuenta de | /daɾse kwenta de/ (from spelling rules) |
| fijarse/reparar en | |
| notar | /noˈtaɾ/ |
| percatar que | /peɾkataɾ ke/ (from spelling rules) |
The Spanish language offers different verbs for noticing depending on whether the act is a mental realization, a physical perception or a conscious act of attention. If you are using 'notice' as a noun to mean a formal announcement or a warning, use aviso. For the act of observing, you might use notación.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on the nature of the noticing. Use notar when you are perceiving a physical sensation or a change in something. In contrast, use darse cuenta de when referring to the mental realization of a fact. If you want to express a conscious act of directing your attention toward something to notice it, use fijarse en. While notar can describe a passive perception, fijarse en implies an intentional focus.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase darse cuenta de is a pronominal construction and requires the preposition de before an object or a clause.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When using the phrase to mean 'to realize that', avoid omitting the 'de' in darse cuenta de que. English speakers often mistakenly omit this preposition, a mistake known as 'queísmo'.
Did you know?
- The word cuenta in darse cuenta de comes from the verb contar, meaning 'to count'. Literally, the phrase suggests a process of 'giving oneself an account' of the situation.
- The verb fijarse en literally involves the idea of 'fixing' your gaze on something, which is why it is used for intentional noticing.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the slang verb coscarse is used to mean 'to notice', but it carries a much more informal, almost suspicious tone than the standard 'notar'.
Examples in context
- Supongo que nadie lo notará.Nobody is going to notice, I suppose.This sentence shows the use of notar in a negative future context.Tatoeba #3357518 by marcelostockle, translation #2601998 by raggione
- Lo va a notar tarde o temprano.He will notice sooner or later.This sentence shows how notar is used to describe a realization occurring over time.Tatoeba #1841376 by marcelostockle, translation #1837817 by Spamster
- Ellas no notaron nada sospechoso.They didn't notice anything suspicious.This sentence shows the use of notar in the past tense to describe a lack of perception.Tatoeba #1694699 by marcelostockle, translation #3763416 by cromwellt
- Me di cuenta de los cambios.I noticed the changes.
- Percibió el comportamiento extraño.He noticed the strange behavior.
- Por favor, observe la letra pequeña.Please notice the fine print
- ¿Te diste cuenta del nuevo corte de pelo?Did you notice the new haircut?
- Ni siquiera me percaté de que estaba presente.I didn't even notice he was present
- Mira, noté algo extraño.Look, I noticed something strange
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “notice” translations and entries notar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuenta, de, en, notar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
