A ver......

Question

Does a ver mean look? Like to get someone's attention or to tell someone something important Example: Look we all have problems but we have to get over them.

Edited: dora -> does - Felixlynx, Jul 22, 2011

Answer 1

Vamos a ver. everything you ever wanted to know about ver

---

---

---

Buenisimo. - Goyo, Jul 23, 2011

Answer 2

It can be used in the same way that English uses the phrase "Let's see...".

I think that's the more common usage as opposed to what you suggest. If I wanted to say, "Look!" as in your example, I'd use ¡Mira! or even, to change senses, ¡oye!

I see it more as a contemplative, thoughtful phrase which would be used in contexts such as "show me" .... "let me see" or the colloquial "Let's see...". The last instance might be if you were looking up a timetable or some other fixed announcement.

Still, best wait for a native speaker to clarify this.

I tend to agree. When I hear it in the "look" sense it often repeated : “A ver a ver.” and for this situation I usually hear “espera.” - LaloLoco, Jul 23, 2011

Answer 3

I've heard my grandparents use this in two forms "Vamos a ver" and "a ver" It means "let's see".

Answer 4

I think "a ver" means "let's see". You may want to use "mirar" in the example sentence.

Mire, tenemos todos problemas....

Gracias that makes sense I was just watching a commercial and didn't know what this ment - fuego1995, Jul 22, 2011

Exacto. - Goyo, Jul 23, 2011

Answer 5

People also say "a ver" loudly to get someone's attention when no one is in sight. . .young children say it when clerks ignore them.

Answer 6

It can be translated as "okay" in those situations where "okay" essentially means "let's see."

Okay, should I buy the red shirt or the blue one?

Let's see, should I buy the red shirt or the blue one?

A ver, ¿debería comprar la roja camisa o la azul?

.

This is different from situations where "okay" means "está bien."

Okay, I'll go, but only because Susie is going.

Está bien, iré, pero solo porque Susie va.

.

To me, (and I just now thought of this) it looks somewhat related in meaning to the verb averiguar. I don't know that it is, though.

It's just a generic place holder: there are many in English and Spanish. Deleting them doesn't change the meaning. - lorenzo9, Jul 23, 2011