If you want to say “looking” in Spanish, you likely want to use the present tense of the verb:
- mirar = to look
- yo miro = I look
- tu miras = you look
- el/ella mira = he/she looks
- nosotros miramos = we look
- vosotros miráis = you all look
- ellos/ellas miran = they look
Of course, there are a number of other Spanish verbs that might be more contextually appropriate. For instance, if you want to say someone is looking/searching for something, “buscar” would be the correct choice.
Getting comfortable with Spanish verbs might seem tricky, especially when there are so many variants of the same word. However, many are quite similar to words in English or related languages, like Italian and French. Because these languages all have either a connection to Latin or directly stem from Latin, they tend to share many related words (cognates) or have other obvious similarities. That’s why you can easily find English words like “flexible” that look and sound identical or nearly identical in French (flexible), Italian (flessibile), and Spanish (flexible).
On top of the overlap in spelling and vocabulary, Spanish also has an almost perfectly clear system of pronunciation. There are few irregularities. Best of all, the Spanish alphabet is almost exactly like the English alphabet. There are just three extra letters to learn: ch (chay), ll (elle), and ñ (eñe).
Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. What makes it effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. That way, you’ll be ready to handle any and all situations with ease and confidence.
Learn Spanish Words and Phrases
Many people decide to learn Spanish because they frequently encounter the language in their everyday life. This makes good sense, when you consider that Spanish is spoken throughout the U.S., and is prominently featured in music, movies, TV, and restaurant fare. Other people make the decision to learn the language because of plans to do business, vacation, or volunteer in any of the 20 countries around the world in which Spanish is the official language. So whether your reason for learning Spanish is for employment, travel, or everyday life, you’ll be off to a great start by first learning basic and commonly used Spanish words and phrases. This first step is key to ensuring you can engage in everyday conversation—with the estimated 437 million Spanish speakers around the world.
All too often, new Spanish language learners get bogged down trying to memorize long lists of Spanish words and phrases. Then, thesy become frustrated when they find themselves without the ability to understand or speak in everyday, real-world conversations. That’s why it’s so important that you first learn to understand and pronounce basic, commonly used Spanish words and phrases. This approach will allow you to gain the confidence to comfortably engage in Spanish conversation with locals.
At this point, it’s worth noting that Spanish does have some characteristics that can make proper pronunciation of some words a bit challenging for new learners. As one example, the letter r is pronounced differently and takes some practice for most new learners. This distinct sound is formed by tapping the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, about a third of the way back in the mouth. Some Spanish language experts counsel new learners to practice making the “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.
Refining your Spanish pronunciation requires that you get specific and immediate feedback on your pronunciation effort. This feedback will allow you to make corrections to your pronunciation. From there, you can practice speaking out loud, until you can comfortably shape the sounds that make up the spoken Spanish language.
Rosetta Stone helps you get the pronunciation right in a snap with our patented TruAccent™ speech engine, which instantly compares your voice to native and non-native speakers, so you get real-time feedback for the most accurate pronunciation. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune your accent. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak the Spanish language.
Once you have acquired basic Spanish words, short phrases, and their correct pronunciation, you will find it natural to move onto learning longer Spanish phrases that make up so much of everyday, real-world Spanish conversation. Rosetta Stone’s brief, easily digested 10-minute lessons are designed to help you learn in just this way—first teaching the basics, then moving onto longer Spanish phrases. Each Spanish language lesson emphasizes proper pronunciation, allowing you to acquire the skills to understand and speak in Spanish with confidence.
Try Our Award-Winning App
Surround yourself with Spanish whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app .
Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation .
The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.
