Observar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish
Introduction
observar means "to observe" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows observar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of observar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.
Example sentences with observar
Watching carefully
Observar means to watch something with attention: observo las estrellas, observo a los pájaros. It is slower and more deliberate than simply looking.
- Cada día, yo observo las estrellas por la noche. — "Every day, I observe the stars at night."
- Hoy, él / ella observa el comportamiento de los niños. — "Today, he / she observes the children's behaviour."
- Ayer, yo observé los detalles de la foto. — "Yesterday, I observed the details of the photo."
- Antes, yo observaba a los pájaros en el parque. — "Before, I used to observe the birds in the park."
- Mañana, yo observaré las estrellas por la noche. — "Tomorrow, I will observe the stars at night."
- Hoy, yo he observado el comportamiento de los niños. — "Today, I have observed the children's behaviour."
Noticing and studying
Observar also means to study behaviour or details over time: observo el comportamiento de los niños. Scientists, teachers and doctors all use it in this sense.
- Cada día, yo observo los detalles de la foto. — "Every day, I observe the details of the photo."
- Hoy, él / ella observa a los pájaros en el parque. — "Today, he / she observes the birds in the park."
- Ayer, yo observé las estrellas por la noche. — "Yesterday, I observed the stars at night."
- Antes, yo observaba el comportamiento de los niños. — "Before, I used to observe the children's behaviour."
- Mañana, yo observaré los detalles de la foto. — "Tomorrow, I will observe the details of the photo."
- Hoy, yo he observado a los pájaros en el parque. — "Today, I have observed the birds in the park."
Observar in conversation
The two dialogues below show observar in natural conversation. The first is about watching carefully, and the second is about noticing and studying. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.
Dialogue 1
- ¿Tú observas las estrellas por la noche? — "Do you observe the stars at night?"
- Sí, yo observo las estrellas por la noche cada día. — "Yes, I observe the stars at night every day."
- ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú observaste el comportamiento de los niños? — "And yesterday? Did you observe the children's behaviour?"
- Sí, ayer yo observé el comportamiento de los niños. — "Yes, yesterday I observed the children's behaviour."
- Mañana yo observaré los detalles de la foto también. — "Tomorrow I will observe the details of the photo too."
Dialogue 2
- ¿Vosotros observáis los detalles de la foto? — "Do you observe the details of the photo?"
- Sí, nosotros observamos los detalles de la foto los fines de semana. — "Yes, we observe the details of the photo at the weekends."
- ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos observan a los pájaros en el parque? — "And them? Do they observe the birds in the park?"
- Sí, ellos observan a los pájaros en el parque también. — "Yes, they observe the birds in the park too."
- Mañana nosotros observaremos los detalles de la foto otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will observe the details of the photo again."
Common mistakes with observar in everyday use
Mistake 1
- Wrong: Yo observo a las estrellas.
- Right: Yo observo las estrellas.
- Why: The personal a is used before people and personified animals, not before things. Las estrellas take no a: observo las estrellas.
Mistake 2
- Wrong: Observar es lo mismo que mirar.
- Right: Observar means to watch carefully; mirar means to look.
- Why: Mirar is the general verb for directing your eyes at something. Observar adds attention, time and purpose: you observe in order to understand.
Mistake 3
- Wrong: Yo observo los pájaros y no aprendo nada.
- Right: Yo observo los pájaros para aprender.
- Why: Observar usually has a purpose. If you mention it, say what the purpose is: observo para aprender, observo para entender.
Mistake 4
- Wrong: Cada día, yo observé las estrellas por la noche.
- Right: Cada día, yo observo las estrellas por la noche.
- Why: Cada día means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.
Mistake 5
- Wrong: Yo observo las estrellas por la noche ayer por la mañana.
- Right: Ayer por la mañana yo observé las estrellas por la noche.
- Why: Ayer por la mañana means yesterday morning, so the action is finished and needs the preterite, not the present.
Quiz: observar in use
Ten questions on observar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the i form of observar in the present tense?
- (a) observa
- (b) observamos
- (c) observo
- (d) observas
Answer: (c) observo. The i form in the present is observo.
2. What is the he / she form of observar in the present tense?
- (a) observamos
- (b) observa
- (c) observo
- (d) observas
Answer: (b) observa. The he / she form in the present is observa.
3. What is the he / she form of observar in the preterite tense?
- (a) observó
- (b) observé
- (c) observaste
- (d) observamos
Answer: (a) observó. The he / she form in the preterite is observó.
4. What is the i form of observar in the imperfect tense?
- (a) observo
- (b) observé
- (c) observaré
- (d) observaba
Answer: (d) observaba. The i form in the imperfect is observaba. The other options are the same person in the present, preterite and future.
5. What is the i form of observar in the future tense?
- (a) observará
- (b) observaremos
- (c) observaré
- (d) observarás
Answer: (c) observaré. The i form in the future is observaré.
6. Which is the correct present perfect form for i?
- (a) observé
- (b) observaba
- (c) observo
- (d) he observado
Answer: (d) he observado. The present perfect is haber + the past participle: he observado.
7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ las estrellas por la noche.
- (a) observaba
- (b) observe
- (c) observa
- (d) observó
Answer: (b) observe. After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: observe. The indicative form would be wrong here.
8. What is the we form of observar in the present tense?
- (a) observo
- (b) observas
- (c) observa
- (d) observamos
Answer: (d) observamos. The we form in the present is observamos.
9. What is the i form of observar in the preterite tense?
- (a) observó
- (b) observamos
- (c) observé
- (d) observaste
Answer: (c) observé. The i form in the preterite is observé.
10. What is the they form of observar in the present tense?
- (a) observa
- (b) observan
- (c) observo
- (d) observas
Answer: (b) observan. The they form in the present is observan.
Frequently asked questions about observar
Is observar regular?
Yes. Observar is a regular -ar verb in every tense: observo, observaste, observaba, observaré. The spelling never changes.
What is the difference between observar, mirar and ver?
Ver is to see, mirar is to look, and observar is to watch carefully over time. You can ver something without mirar it, and mirar something without observar it.
Does observar take the personal a?
Yes, before a specific person or animal: observo a los pájaros, observo a los niños. Before a thing there is no a: observo las estrellas.
How can I practise observar?
Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.