What would be the correct verbage here?

Question

I'm trying to say "you look pretty". I know its te ves hermosa, but why isn't it te mira hermosa, because ver means to see, while mirar means to look?

Hola Bienvenido al foro! - rac1, Feb 12, 2013

Answer 1

I think you're getting a little confused because you're not distinguishing between action verbs and linking verbs. The verb "look" in English in your sentence is not serving as an action verb here. The person is not undertaking the action of using her eyes to look, and if she were, you'd modify it with an adverb, as in "you look prettily." As if she possesses the skill of being able to use her eyes to look in a way that is pretty, and you're complimenting her for it. That's obviously not what you're going for!

Here, "look" is being used in the linking sense as in, "you appear pretty." In a very basic sense, the linking verb connects the subject to some descriptive word.

So you ran into trouble because In Spanish, mirar, which definitely means "to look" carries only the action aspect of the English verb "to look", and doesn't function as a linking verb.

The most common linking verbs in Spanish are "ser", "estar" and "parecer" (verbos copulativos) so you could just use one of those and that would probably be the most obvious way to do it.

Pareces muy guapa! (You appear/look very pretty!)

Other verbs have a similar ability to link the subject to a description or other aspect (like number) like "quedar", or "encontrarse."

Thanks. I needed that! - PeterRS, Feb 12, 2013

Thanks, that really helped - trqkkr, Feb 12, 2013

Answer 2

Hi there!!

It's "te ves" and not "te miras" because "verse" (the infinitive, or unconjugated form of "te ves") means to look as in to seem or to appear to others, etc. "Mirarse" as in "te miras" means something more like "to look at oneself" as in "Te miras en el espejo": "You look at yourself in the mirror". Keep in mind that the meaning changes when you add or take away that reflexive pronoun (in this case, "te") So, to recap:

• ves= you see (something)
• miras= you look at (something)
• te ves= you 'look' (to other people)
• te miras= you look at yourself

I know this can be confusing, and your question is certainly quite natural and valid. I hope this helps!

So would mirar only be used when oneself is the subject of the verb? What about when someone says "mira" to get the attention of someone? - trqkkr, Feb 12, 2013

Not really. You can say "como me veo?" - "How do I look?" - rodneyp, Feb 12, 2013

Yes. Good answer. - annierats, Feb 12, 2013

I edited my answer to hopefully address some of your confusion. - PumpkinCalabaza, Feb 12, 2013

verse is to look to other people as in "you look nice" while "mirarse" is to look *at* yourself, as in a mirror. ¡Mira! means the same thing as Look! in English. - PumpkinCalabaza, Feb 12, 2013

Answer 3

mirar - to look at, to stare

ver - to see

te ves bonita

Answer 4

So would te pareces hermosa and te ves hermosa have the same meaning?

Personally, I think there is a slight difference here, something like "you seem beautiful to me" (my opinion in contrast to someone else's) vs "you look beautiful". Just a wild guess. - rodneyp, Feb 12, 2013

I would agree with rodneyp - PumpkinCalabaza, Feb 12, 2013

Answer 5

The subject of ver vs mirar is a little tricky, and usage varies. You have what is grammatically correct vs common usage, and even common usage various from country to country and from one region to the next within a country.

Read this and it might help. Or confuse you even more, lol.

Mirar vs Ver

Answer 6

(I've never heard the verb "verse" used as a substitute for parecer, by the way. I've only used it reflexively, as in the straightforward "me veo en el espejo" or figuratively as in "to see oneself" a certain way, though there I'd probably use "imaginarse" or "considerarse". Either way, "te ves guapo" strikes me like an accusation of vanity, lol! As in, "te ves guapo, ¿eh? No presumas tanto, hombre!"

It's probably another one of those Latin America/Spain things that so often seem to get me when I least expect it, or just simply a lack of proficiency.)