¿qué estás mirando?
The English phrase "what are you looking at?" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué estás mirando?
This phrase is used to ask someone who is staring or observing something. Depending on the tone of voice, it can range from a neutral inquiry to a confrontational or aggressive challenge.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the interrogative pronoun qué (what), the auxiliary verb estás (you are) and the gerund mirando (looking).
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué estás mirando? emphasizes the ongoing action of staring, the simple present form ¿qué miras? is also commonly used to ask the same question.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the question more polite or distant, you can use the formal form ¿qué está mirando?, which changes the subject to the formal usted.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, ¿En qué te estás fijando? is used to mean "What are you fixing your gaze on?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ¿qué estás mirando? uses the present continuous tense to describe an action currently in progress.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, staring back at someone who is looking at you can be interpreted as a direct invitation to a confrontation.
- Spanish has a distinct word, mirada, which refers to the specific 'look' or 'gaze' someone gives, allowing speakers to describe the quality of a stare in ways English cannot with a single noun.
- The word qué shares a common ancestor with the English word 'what' and the Latin 'quid', tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are sitting in a park.
- DanielLucía, ¿qué estás mirando?Lucía, what are you looking at?
- LucíaUn pájaro muy colorido en el árbol.A very colorful bird in the tree.
- Daniel¡Es verdad! Es precioso.It's true! It is beautiful.
- LucíaSí, nunca había visto uno así.Yes, I have never seen one like that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
