¿qué estás mirando?
The English phrase "what are you watching?" translates to Spanish as ¿qué estás mirando? in Spanish.
This question is used to ask someone what they are looking at in their immediate surroundings. In Spanish, you can choose between two different verbs depending on the context: use mirar when someone is directing their eyes toward an object or something in the environment, but use ver if the person is consuming media such as a movie, a show or a video.
Which one should you use?
The phrase ¿qué estás mirando? specifically translates to "what are you looking at?" because it focuses on the act of directing one's eyes toward something. In contrast, ¿qué estás viendo? is more common when asking about watching media like a film or television program.
How does it change in a sentence?
To shift from an informal to a formal address, change the verb form from estás to está.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿qué miras? with a sharp tone can transform a simple question into a heated confrontation, much like saying 'What are you staring at?' in English.
- The Spanish word qué is a direct descendant of the Latin quid, which is the same root found in the English legal term 'quid pro quo'.
- The verb mirar is frequently used as a conversational filler in the form ¡mira!, functioning much like the English 'listen' to grab someone's attention.
Examples in context
- Veo que tienes algo en la mano, ¿qué estás mirando?I see you have something in your hand, what are you watching/looking at?
Example conversation
Mateo finds María staring at a strange bird in the garden.
- MateoMaría, ¿qué estás mirando?María, what are you looking at?
- MaríaMira ese pájaro azul.Look at that blue bird.
- MateoEs muy bonito.It is very beautiful.
- MaríaSí, nunca había visto uno así.Yes, I had never seen one like that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
