Spanish grammar · Beginner
Mirar Conjugation: Every Tense with Examples
Mirar means to look (at) or to watch. Fully regular -ar verb. Used for actively directing your gaze, distinct from ver (to see passively).
Miro la tele.
I'm watching TV.
What it is
Mirar means to look (at) or to watch. Fully regular -ar verb in every tense. Mirar is for actively directing your gaze, different from ver, which is passive seeing. Mirar la tele = Watch TV (active). Ver una película = See a movie (also active, but ver is more about the experience).
In Miro la tele (I'm watching TV), miro is the regular yo present. Note: no preposition before the object. Miro la tele (not Miro a la tele).
How to spot it
Fully regular in every tense. No preposition before objects in standard Spanish (some Latin American dialects use mirar a).
- ¡Mira! — Look!
- Miré por la ventana. — I looked out the window.
- Miraré la película. — I'll watch the movie.
Mirar vs. ver: mirar is the active gaze; ver is the perception. ¡Mira eso! = Look at that! ¿Lo ves? = Can you see it?
Mirar Conjugation Quick Reference
Mirar at a glance, the most-used forms across tenses
| Person | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | miro | miré | miraba | miraré | mire |
| tú | miras | miraste | mirabas | mirarás | mires |
| él/ella/Ud. | mira | miró | miraba | mirará | mire |
| nosotros | miramos | miramos | mirábamos | miraremos | miremos |
| vosotros | miráis | mirasteis | mirabais | miraréis | miréis |
| ellos/Uds. | miran | miraron | miraban | mirarán | miren |
Common Mirar Conjugation Examples in Spanish
Mirar covers actively looking at things, watching, and (with reflexive) looking at yourself:
Looking At Things
- Mira el cielo.
- Look at the sky.
- Miré las fotos.
- I looked at the photos.
- Mira por la ventana.
- Look out the window.
No preposition needed before the object. Mirar el cielo, not mirar al cielo (in standard Spanish).
Watching TV / Movies / Sports
- Miro la tele.
- I'm watching TV.
- Miramos el partido.
- We're watching the game.
- Miré una serie nueva.
- I watched a new series.
Mirar la tele is the standard for watching TV. In some regions (Spain), ver la tele is more common.
Reflexive Mirarse
- Me miro en el espejo.
- I'm looking at myself in the mirror.
- Se miraron sorprendidos.
- They looked at each other in surprise.
Reflexive mirarse = look at oneself or each other (reciprocal).
Commands / Imperatives
- ¡Mira!
- Look!
- Mírame.
- Look at me.
- Miren con atención.
- Watch carefully.
¡Mira! is one of the most-used Spanish exclamations, used like English Look! or Hey!
How to Conjugate Mirar Across Tenses
Present, Fully Regular -ar
All forms regular: miro, miras, mira, miramos, miráis, miran.
Yo miro, tú miras, él mira, nosotros miramos, vosotros miráis, ellos miran.
I look, you look, he looks, we look, you all look, they look.
No stem changes, textbook regular -ar.
Preterite / Imperfect / Future, Regular
Preterite: miré, miraste, miró. Imperfect: miraba. Future: miraré. All fully regular.
Miré el menú. Antes miraba más tele. Miraré pronto.
I looked at the menu. Before, I used to watch more TV. I'll look soon.
No irregularities anywhere.
Mirar vs. Ver
Mirar = active gaze (directing your eyes). Ver = passive perception (registering visual input). Mira esto = Look at this (active). ¿Lo ves? = Can you see it? (passive).
Miro la pintura. (I'm studying it / actively looking) vs. Veo la pintura. (I can see it from here.)
I'm looking at the painting. (active) vs. I see the painting. (passive)
If you're directing attention or watching media, use mirar. If you're describing what's in your field of vision, use ver.
Subjunctive, Regular
Present subjunctive: mire, mires, mire, miremos, miréis, miren.
Quiero que mires esto.
I want you to look at this.
Regular -ar subjunctive.
Common Mistakes with Mirar Conjugation
Incorrect: Miro a la pintura. — I'm looking at the painting. (in standard Spanish, no preposition)
Correct: Miro la pintura. — I'm looking at the painting.
In standard Spanish, mirar takes a direct object (no preposition before a thing). Mirar a + person is acceptable in some dialects, but mirar el / la is universal.
Incorrect: Vi la tele anoche. — I watched TV last night. (both work; mirar emphasizes active watching)
Correct: Miré la tele anoche. / Vi la tele anoche. (both work, slight nuance) — I watched TV last night.
Mirar emphasizes the active gaze; ver can be either passive seeing or watching media. Both are accepted for watching TV.
Incorrect: Quiero que miras la película. — I want you to watch the movie. (wrong, querer que triggers subjunctive)
Correct: Quiero que mires la película. — I want you to watch the movie.
Querer que + different subject triggers subjunctive. Mires (subjunctive), not miras (indicative).
Mirar Across Every Tense
Fully regular -ar verb. The key thing to learn is the mirar vs. ver distinction.
Present (Regular)
Fully regular -ar.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
¡Mira! (Look!) is the imperative form, extremely common.
Preterite (Regular)
Fully regular.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Miré por la ventana = I looked out the window.
Imperfect (Regular)
Regular -ar imperfect.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Antes miraba más tele = Before, I used to watch more TV.
Future, Conditional, Subjunctive
All regular.
| yo (future) |
| yo (conditional) |
| yo (present subjunctive) |
| yo (present perfect) |
Past participle mirado is regular.
Mirar Conjugation FAQs
- What does mirar mean and when do you use it in Spanish?
- Mirar means to look (at) or to watch, actively directing your gaze. Used for looking at things (Mira el cielo), watching TV / movies (Miro la tele), and the high-frequency imperative ¡Mira! (Look!).
- How does mirar conjugate in the present tense?
- Miro, miras, mira, miramos, miráis, miran. Fully regular -ar, no irregularities.
- What's the difference between mirar and ver?
- Mirar = active gaze (directing attention, looking at something specific). Ver = passive perception or general seeing. ¡Mira eso! = Look at that! (active) vs. ¿Lo ves? = Can you see it? (perception). Both work for watching media, but mirar emphasizes active watching.
- Do you use a preposition before what you're looking at?
- In standard Spanish, no, mirar takes a direct object without a preposition (Mira el cielo). Some Latin American dialects use mirar a + thing, but mirar + direct object is universal.
- How can I get better at conjugating mirar?
- Mirar is everyday vocabulary, looking, watching, the constant ¡Mira! interjection. Exposure to mira / miré / miraba in real contexts is the fastest path. Parrot's daily videos feature mirar constantly.