👀Senses and mind
See, watch, hear, understand, forget, learn.
6 concepts
Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.
| Concept | English | Français | Español |
|---|---|---|---|
to see verb | to see Also 'to understand' (I see) and 'to date' (are you seeing anyone?). Irregular: saw, seen. | voir Irregular: je vois, j'ai vu, je verrai. | ver Also the everyday 'watch': ver la tele. Mirar is to look at. |
to watch (a film, the game) verb | to watch Watch = attention over time (TV, a match); see = just notice; look at = direct your eyes. 'See a film' at the cinema is fine too. | regarder Takes its object directly — regarder le match, never 'regarder à'. Also 'to look at'. | ver also: mirar (look at; Argentina: watch) Spain and most of Latin America 'see' the TV: ver la tele, ver el partido. Mirar la tele is River Plate usage. |
to hear verb | to hear Hear = it reaches your ears; listen = you pay attention. Irregular: heard /hɜːd/. | entendre also: écouter (listen) Trap for Spanish speakers: French entendre = HEAR, Spanish entender = understand. | oír also: escuchar (listen) In much of Latin America escuchar also covers 'hear': no te escucho = I can't hear you. |
to understand verb | to understand also: to get (spoken: I get it) Irregular: understood. | comprendre Also 'to include, to comprise'. Je n'ai pas compris = I didn't get that. | entender also: comprender Entender is the everyday one. False friend for French speakers: entender ≠ entendre (hear). |
to forget verb | to forget Stress on the second syllable. Irregular: forgot, forgotten. | oublier Three syllables: ou-bli-er. J'ai oublié = I forgot. | olvidar also: olvidarse de (reflexive, everyday) Spanish loves the accidental form: se me olvidó = 'it forgot itself on me' — not my fault. |
to learn (a language, a skill) verb | to learn Learn is what the student does; teach is what the teacher does. 'He learned me English' is a mistake. | apprendre Works BOTH ways: j'apprends l'anglais = I learn; j'apprends l'anglais à Paul = I teach Paul. Hence the French speaker's 'learn me'. | aprender Only 'learn'. Teach is enseñar. Aprender a + infinitive: aprender a nadar. |