[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-lucide:chevron-down":3,"i-lucide:type":8,"i-lucide:languages":10,"i-lucide:layers":12,"i-lucide:bell":14,"i-lucide:menu":16,"i-lucide:house":18,"i-lucide:chevron-right":20,"i-lucide:list-ordered":22,"i-lucide:book-open":24,"i-lucide:library-big":26,"i-lucide:book-open-text":28,"i-lucide:graduation-cap":30,"i-lucide:case-sensitive":32,"i-lucide:gamepad-2":34,"i-lucide:book-marked":36,"i-lucide:presentation":38,"i-simple-icons:bluesky":40,"i-simple-icons:x":42,"grammar-spanish-perception-verbs":44,"grammar-verbs-spanish-perception-verbs":947,"i-lucide:pencil-line":948,"i-lucide:download":950,"i-lucide:folder-down":952,"i-lucide:volume-2":954},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m6 9l6 6l6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 4v16M4 7V5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h14a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v2M9 20h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m5 8l6 6m-7 0l6-6l2-3M2 5h12M7 2h1m14 20l-5-10l-5 10m2-4h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12.83 2.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 6.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.83l8.58 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0l8.58-3.9a1 1 0 0 0 0-1.83z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 12a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 12\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 17a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 17\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M10.268 21a2 2 0 0 0 3.464 0m-10.47-5.674A1 1 0 0 0 4 17h16a1 1 0 0 0 .74-1.673C19.41 13.956 18 12.499 18 8A6 6 0 0 0 6 8c0 4.499-1.411 5.956-2.738 7.326\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M15 21v-8a1 1 0 0 0-1-1h-4a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v8\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M3 10a2 2 0 0 1 .709-1.528l7-6a2 2 0 0 1 2.582 0l7 6A2 2 0 0 1 21 10v9a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 5h10m-10 7h10m-10 7h10M4 4h1v5M4 9h2m.5 11H3.4c0-1 2.6-1.925 2.6-3.5a1.5 1.5 0 0 0-2.6-1.02\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":25},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m-9-3a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":27},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"8\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"1\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M7 3v18m13.4-2.1c.2.5-.1 1.1-.6 1.3l-1.9.7c-.5.2-1.1-.1-1.3-.6L11.1 5.1c-.2-.5.1-1.1.6-1.3l1.9-.7c.5-.2 1.1.1 1.3.6Z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":29},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m4-9h2m-2-4h2M3 18a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3zm3-6h2M6 8h2\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":31},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M21.42 10.922a1 1 0 0 0-.019-1.838L12.83 5.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 9.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.832l8.57 3.908a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0zM22 10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 12.5V16a6 3 0 0 0 12 0v-3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":33},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"m2 16l4.039-9.69a.5.5 0 0 1 .923 0L11 16m11-7v7M3.304 13h6.392\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"18.5\" cy=\"12.5\" r=\"3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":35},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M6 11h4M8 9v4m7-1h.01M18 10h.01m-.69-5H6.68a4 4 0 0 0-3.978 3.59l-.017.152C2.604 9.416 2 14.456 2 16a3 3 0 0 0 3 3c1 0 1.5-.5 2-1l1.414-1.414A2 2 0 0 1 9.828 16h4.344a2 2 0 0 1 1.414.586L17 18c.5.5 1 1 2 1a3 3 0 0 0 3-3c0-1.545-.604-6.584-.685-7.258q-.01-.075-.017-.151A4 4 0 0 0 17.32 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":37},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M10 2v8l3-3l3 3V2\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M4 19.5v-15A2.5 2.5 0 0 1 6.5 2H19a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v18a1 1 0 0 1-1 1H6.5a1 1 0 0 1 0-5H20\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":39},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M2 3h20m-1 0v11a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V3m4 18l5-5l5 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":41},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M5.202 2.857C7.954 4.922 10.913 9.11 12 11.358c1.087-2.247 4.046-6.436 6.798-8.501C20.783 1.366 24 .213 24 3.883c0 .732-.42 6.156-.667 7.037c-.856 3.061-3.978 3.842-6.755 3.37c4.854.826 6.089 3.562 3.422 6.299c-5.065 5.196-7.28-1.304-7.847-2.97c-.104-.305-.152-.448-.153-.327c0-.121-.05.022-.153.327c-.568 1.666-2.782 8.166-7.847 2.97c-2.667-2.737-1.432-5.473 3.422-6.3c-2.777.473-5.899-.308-6.755-3.369C.42 10.04 0 4.615 0 3.883c0-3.67 3.217-2.517 5.202-1.026\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":43},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.234 10.162L22.977 0h-2.072l-7.591 8.824L7.251 0H.258l9.168 13.343L.258 24H2.33l8.016-9.318L16.749 24h6.993zm-2.837 3.299l-.929-1.329L3.076 1.56h3.182l5.965 8.532l.929 1.329l7.754 11.09h-3.182z\"\u002F>",{"id":45,"title":46,"author":47,"body":48,"cefrLevel":860,"date":47,"description":861,"exercises":862,"extension":924,"faqs":925,"gcseTier":938,"intro":939,"language":940,"lastUpdated":47,"meta":941,"navigation":942,"path":943,"seo":944,"stem":945,"verbSlugs":47,"__hash__":946},"pages\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fperception-verbs.md","Spanish Perception Verbs + Infinitive or Gerund: la vi salir, lo oí cantando",null,{"type":49,"value":50,"toc":846},"minimark",[51,56,109,125,133,138,148,179,186,190,208,233,240,254,265,269,284,314,325,329,344,370,392,396,406,448,462,466,481,505,515,519,655,659,678,698,701,705,721,747,759,781,798,802],[52,53,55],"h1",{"id":54},"perception-verbs-plus-infinitive-or-gerund","Perception Verbs plus Infinitive or Gerund",[57,58,59,60,64,65,68,69,72,73,76,77,76,80,76,83,76,86,76,89,92,93,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],"p",{},"When you catch someone doing something - you ",[61,62,63],"strong",{},"see"," her leave, you ",[61,66,67],{},"hear"," the door close, you ",[61,70,71],{},"feel"," the floor shake - Spanish gives you a tidy two-way choice. The verbs of perception (",[61,74,75],{},"ver",", ",[61,78,79],{},"oír",[61,81,82],{},"escuchar",[61,84,85],{},"sentir",[61,87,88],{},"mirar",[61,90,91],{},"notar",") take either an ",[61,94,95],{},"infinitive"," or a ",[61,98,99],{},"gerund"," after their object, and the choice quietly changes what you are reporting: the ",[61,102,103],{},"whole"," action, or the action ",[61,106,107],{},"in progress",".",[110,111,112,119],"ul",{},[113,114,115,118],"li",{},[61,116,117],{},"La vi salir."," (I saw her leave \u002F go out.) - the complete going-out, start to finish.",[113,120,121,124],{},[61,122,123],{},"La vi saliendo."," (I saw her leaving.) - a snapshot, caught mid-departure.",[57,126,127,128,130,131,108],{},"Same event, two camera angles. This page sorts out which to pick, how the pronouns work, and why ",[61,129,75],{}," is not quite ",[61,132,88],{},[134,135,137],"h2",{"id":136},"the-infinitive-perceiving-the-whole-action","The infinitive: perceiving the whole action",[57,139,140,141,143,144,147],{},"Perception verb plus ",[61,142,95],{}," reports the action as a ",[61,145,146],{},"single, complete"," whole. You witnessed the event from beginning to end, or at least you view it as one finished unit.",[110,149,150,155,161,167,173],{},[113,151,152,154],{},[61,153,117],{}," (I saw her leave.)",[113,156,157,160],{},[61,158,159],{},"Oí cerrar la puerta."," (I heard the door close \u002F be closed.)",[113,162,163,166],{},[61,164,165],{},"Los oí cantar."," (I heard them sing.)",[113,168,169,172],{},[61,170,171],{},"Sentí temblar la casa."," (I felt the house shake.)",[113,174,175,178],{},[61,176,177],{},"Vimos aterrizar el avión."," (We watched the plane land.)",[57,180,181,182,185],{},"This is the ",[61,183,184],{},"default"," structure and the one to reach for when in doubt. The infinitive gives no sense of the action stretching on; it is the event, boxed up and reported.",[134,187,189],{"id":188},"the-gerund-perceiving-the-action-in-progress","The gerund: perceiving the action in progress",[57,191,192,193,195,196,199,200,203,204,207],{},"Swap the infinitive for a ",[61,194,99],{}," (",[61,197,198],{},"-ando"," \u002F ",[61,201,202],{},"-iendo",") and you freeze the action ",[61,205,206],{},"mid-flow",". You caught it happening, ongoing, without claiming to have seen the whole thing.",[110,209,210,215,221,227],{},[113,211,212,214],{},[61,213,123],{}," (I saw her leaving - on her way out, mid-action.)",[113,216,217,220],{},[61,218,219],{},"Lo oí cantando."," (I heard him singing away - the singing was in full swing.)",[113,222,223,226],{},[61,224,225],{},"La noté temblando."," (I noticed her trembling - it was ongoing.)",[113,228,229,232],{},[61,230,231],{},"Los vi jugando en el parque."," (I saw them playing in the park.)",[57,234,235,236,239],{},"The gerund adds ",[61,237,238],{},"live, unfolding"," colour: the action was underway when your senses landed on it. Compare the pair directly:",[110,241,242,248],{},[113,243,244,247],{},[61,245,246],{},"Oí a Juan tocar el piano."," (I heard Juan play the piano.) - a whole performance, or the fact that he played.",[113,249,250,253],{},[61,251,252],{},"Oí a Juan tocando el piano."," (I heard Juan playing the piano.) - I caught him mid-tune, the playing in progress.",[57,255,256,257,260,261,264],{},"If you could say \"",[61,258,259],{},"in the middle of"," doing it\" or \"",[61,262,263],{},"away","\" in English (singing away, working away), the gerund fits. If you mean the complete act, use the infinitive.",[134,266,268],{"id":267},"the-pronoun-the-doer-is-a-direct-object","The pronoun: the doer is a direct object",[57,270,271,272,275,276,279,280,283],{},"The person or thing you perceive is the ",[61,273,274],{},"direct object"," of the perception verb, so it takes a ",[61,277,278],{},"direct-object pronoun"," placed ",[61,281,282],{},"before"," the conjugated verb:",[110,285,286,295,304],{},[113,287,288,290,291,294],{},[61,289,117],{}," (I saw ",[61,292,293],{},"her"," leave.)",[113,296,297,299,300,303],{},[61,298,165],{}," (I heard ",[61,301,302],{},"them"," sing.)",[113,305,306,309,310,313],{},[61,307,308],{},"Lo sentí temblar."," (I felt ",[61,311,312],{},"it"," shake.)",[57,315,316,317,320,321,324],{},"Use ",[61,318,319],{},"lo \u002F la \u002F los \u002F las"," for the perceived doer, never the indirect ",[61,322,323],{},"le \u002F les"," - it is a direct object, not an indirect one.",[134,326,328],{"id":327},"naming-the-doer-perception-verb-object-verb","Naming the doer: perception verb + object + verb",[57,330,331,332,335,336,339,340,343],{},"If you spell out ",[61,333,334],{},"who"," you perceived rather than using a pronoun, the doer sits between the perception verb and the infinitive or gerund. When that doer is a ",[61,337,338],{},"person",", you need the ",[61,341,342],{},"personal a",":",[110,345,346,352,358,364],{},[113,347,348,351],{},[61,349,350],{},"Vi a Pedro arreglar el coche."," (I saw Pedro fix the car.) - whole action.",[113,353,354,357],{},[61,355,356],{},"Vi a Pedro arreglando el coche."," (I saw Pedro fixing the car.) - caught mid-repair.",[113,359,360,363],{},[61,361,362],{},"Oí a los niños jugar."," (I heard the children play.)",[113,365,366,369],{},[61,367,368],{},"Escuché a mi vecina cantar."," (I listened to my neighbour sing.)",[57,371,372,373,376,377,381,382,385,386,388,389,108],{},"The ",[61,374,375],{},"a"," marks the human object being perceived. Drop it and the sentence sounds wrong: not ",[378,379,380],"em",{},"vi Pedro arreglar",", but ",[61,383,384],{},"vi a Pedro arreglar",". With a non-person, no ",[61,387,375],{}," is needed: ",[61,390,391],{},"oí cerrar la puerta",[134,393,395],{"id":394},"ver-vs-mirar-oír-vs-escuchar","ver vs mirar, oír vs escuchar",[57,397,398,399,402,403,343],{},"All six verbs share the identical structure, but they split into ",[61,400,401],{},"passive perception"," and ",[61,404,405],{},"deliberate attention",[110,407,408,416,424,430,436,442],{},[113,409,410,412,413,415],{},[61,411,75],{}," = to see (it reaches your eyes). ",[61,414,88],{}," = to watch, to look at (you point your gaze).",[113,417,418,420,421,423],{},[61,419,79],{}," = to hear (it reaches your ears). ",[61,422,82],{}," = to listen to (you point your attention).",[113,425,426,429],{},[61,427,428],{},"Vi a Juan cruzar la calle."," (I saw Juan cross the road.) - it simply happened before me.",[113,431,432,435],{},[61,433,434],{},"Miré a Juan cruzar la calle."," (I watched Juan cross the road.) - a chosen act of watching.",[113,437,438,441],{},[61,439,440],{},"Oí a los niños cantar."," (I heard the children sing.) - the sound arrived.",[113,443,444,447],{},[61,445,446],{},"Escuché a los niños cantar."," (I listened to the children sing.) - on purpose, attending.",[57,449,450,451,453,454,456,457,453,459,461],{},"Pick ",[61,452,75],{}," or ",[61,455,79],{}," for what merely reached your senses, ",[61,458,88],{},[61,460,82],{}," for what you actively watched or listened to. The infinitive-or-gerund choice works the same across all four.",[134,463,465],{"id":464},"sentir-and-notar-feeling-and-noticing","sentir and notar: feeling and noticing",[57,467,468,471,472,474,475,477,478,480],{},[61,469,470],{},"Sentir"," (to feel, to sense) and ",[61,473,91],{}," (to notice) join the club, most often with the ",[61,476,95],{}," for a whole event, and the ",[61,479,99],{}," when the sensation was ongoing:",[110,482,483,487,493,499],{},[113,484,485,172],{},[61,486,171],{},[113,488,489,492],{},[61,490,491],{},"Sentí la casa temblando."," (I felt the house shaking - ongoing.)",[113,494,495,498],{},[61,496,497],{},"Noté a alguien acercarse."," (I noticed someone approach.)",[113,500,501,504],{},[61,502,503],{},"La noté llorando."," (I noticed her crying.)",[57,506,507,508,510,511,514],{},"Keep ",[61,509,85],{}," here on the ",[61,512,513],{},"perception"," side. It reports what you sensed, not anything you caused.",[134,516,518],{"id":517},"the-verbs-at-a-glance","The verbs at a glance",[520,521,522,538],"table",{},[523,524,525],"thead",{},[526,527,528,532,535],"tr",{},[529,530,531],"th",{},"Verb",[529,533,534],{},"+ infinitive (whole action)",[529,536,537],{},"+ gerund (in progress)",[539,540,541,560,579,598,617,636],"tbody",{},[526,542,543,547,554],{},[544,545,546],"td",{},"ver (see)",[544,548,549,550,553],{},"la vi ",[61,551,552],{},"salir"," (I saw her leave)",[544,555,549,556,559],{},[61,557,558],{},"saliendo"," (I saw her leaving)",[526,561,562,565,572],{},[544,563,564],{},"oír (hear)",[544,566,567,568,571],{},"oí ",[61,569,570],{},"cerrar"," la puerta (I heard the door close)",[544,573,574,575,578],{},"lo oí ",[61,576,577],{},"cantando"," (I heard him singing)",[526,580,581,584,591],{},[544,582,583],{},"escuchar (listen to)",[544,585,586,587,590],{},"escuché a Ana ",[61,588,589],{},"tocar"," (I listened to Ana play)",[544,592,593,594,597],{},"la escuché ",[61,595,596],{},"tocando"," (I listened to her playing)",[526,599,600,603,610],{},[544,601,602],{},"sentir (feel)",[544,604,605,606,609],{},"sentí ",[61,607,608],{},"temblar"," la casa (I felt the house shake)",[544,611,612,613,616],{},"la sentí ",[61,614,615],{},"temblando"," (I felt it shaking)",[526,618,619,622,629],{},[544,620,621],{},"mirar (watch)",[544,623,624,625,628],{},"miré al gato ",[61,626,627],{},"saltar"," (I watched the cat jump)",[544,630,631,632,635],{},"lo miré ",[61,633,634],{},"saltando"," (I watched it jumping)",[526,637,638,641,648],{},[544,639,640],{},"notar (notice)",[544,642,643,644,647],{},"noté a alguien ",[61,645,646],{},"acercarse"," (I noticed someone approach)",[544,649,650,651,654],{},"la noté ",[61,652,653],{},"llorando"," (I noticed her crying)",[134,656,658],{"id":657},"not-the-same-as-the-causative","Not the same as the causative",[57,660,661,662,665,666,669,670,673,674,677],{},"This pattern looks like the ",[61,663,664],{},"causative"," ",[61,667,668],{},"hacer \u002F mandar + infinitive",", but the meanings are opposite. A perception verb reports what you ",[61,671,672],{},"witnessed"," someone doing on their own; the causative means you ",[61,675,676],{},"caused"," the action:",[110,679,680,689],{},[113,681,682,684,685,688],{},[61,683,117],{}," (I ",[61,686,687],{},"saw"," her leave.) - she left, I watched.",[113,690,691,684,694,697],{},[61,692,693],{},"La hice salir.",[61,695,696],{},"made"," her leave.) - my doing, not just my watching.",[57,699,700],{},"If the subject only sensed the event, it is a perception verb. If the subject brought it about, it is a causative. They share the infinitive structure, so keep them apart by meaning.",[134,702,704],{"id":703},"common-mistakes-english-speakers-make","Common mistakes English speakers make",[57,706,707,710,711,713,714,717,718,720],{},[61,708,709],{},"Reaching for the gerund by default."," English says \"I saw her leaving\" as readily as \"I saw her leave\", but Spanish treats the ",[61,712,95],{}," as the neutral choice for a whole action: ",[61,715,716],{},"la vi salir",". Save ",[61,719,558],{}," for when you genuinely mean mid-action.",[57,722,723,726,727,730,731,76,734,737,738,76,741,744,745,108],{},[61,724,725],{},"Using the indirect pronoun."," The doer is a ",[61,728,729],{},"direct"," object: ",[61,732,733],{},"la vi",[61,735,736],{},"los oí",", not ",[378,739,740],{},"le vi",[378,742,743],{},"les oí",". Use ",[61,746,319],{},[57,748,749,752,753,756,757,108],{},[61,750,751],{},"Dropping the personal a."," With a named person you must keep it: ",[61,754,755],{},"vi a Pedro arreglar el coche",", never ",[378,758,380],{},[57,760,761,764,765,768,769,772,773,776,777,780],{},[61,762,763],{},"Confusing ver with mirar, oír with escuchar."," For what merely reached you, use ",[61,766,767],{},"ver \u002F oír","; for deliberate attention, ",[61,770,771],{},"mirar \u002F escuchar",". ",[61,774,775],{},"Escuché la conversación"," is nosier than ",[61,778,779],{},"oí la conversación"," on purpose.",[57,782,783,665,786,789,790,793,794,797],{},[61,784,785],{},"Treating it as a causative.",[61,787,788],{},"La vi salir"," is not ",[378,791,792],{},"I made her leave",". Perception reports; ",[61,795,796],{},"hacer + infinitive"," causes.",[134,799,801],{"id":800},"see-also","See also",[110,803,804,811,818,825,832,839],{},[113,805,806,810],{},[375,807,809],{"href":808},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fgerund-uses","The Spanish gerund: adverbial uses and traps"," - where the -ndo form works on its own and where English wrongly imports \"-ing\".",[113,812,813,817],{},[375,814,816],{"href":815},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpresent-progressive","The present progressive: estar + gerundio"," - the gerund's other main job, ongoing action right now.",[113,819,820,824],{},[375,821,823],{"href":822},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Finfinitive-uses","The uses of the infinitive"," - the form that does the whole-action job here and the noun jobs elsewhere.",[113,826,827,831],{},[375,828,830],{"href":829},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fcausative-verbs","Causative verbs: hacer and mandar + infinitive"," - the lookalike that means make someone do something, not merely see them do it.",[113,833,834,838],{},[375,835,837],{"href":836},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fobject-pronouns","Object pronouns"," - the la \u002F los \u002F lo that mark the perceived doer.",[113,840,372,841,845],{},[375,842,844],{"href":843},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar","Spanish grammar cheatsheet"," has the perception-verb table on one card.",{"title":847,"searchDepth":848,"depth":848,"links":849},"",2,[850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859],{"id":136,"depth":848,"text":137},{"id":188,"depth":848,"text":189},{"id":267,"depth":848,"text":268},{"id":327,"depth":848,"text":328},{"id":394,"depth":848,"text":395},{"id":464,"depth":848,"text":465},{"id":517,"depth":848,"text":518},{"id":657,"depth":848,"text":658},{"id":703,"depth":848,"text":704},{"id":800,"depth":848,"text":801},"B1-B2","How Spanish reports seeing and hearing someone do something: ver, oír, escuchar, sentir, mirar and notar take an infinitive for the whole finished action (la vi salir) or a gerund for the action caught mid-flow (la vi saliendo).",[863,894],{"type":864,"instructions":865,"items":866},"fill-blank","Complete each sentence. Use the infinitive for a whole, completed action; use the gerund (-ando \u002F -iendo) for an action caught in progress. Watch the pronoun where one is asked for.",[867,870,873,876,879,883,887,890],{"prompt":868,"answer":552,"hint":869},"La vi ___ de casa a las ocho. (salir - I saw her leave, the whole action)","completed action: infinitive",{"prompt":871,"answer":558,"hint":872},"La vi ___ cuando pasé por la puerta. (salir - I saw her on her way out, mid-action)","in progress: gerund",{"prompt":874,"answer":570,"hint":875},"Oí ___ la puerta. (cerrar - I heard the door close)","whole event: infinitive",{"prompt":877,"answer":577,"hint":878},"Lo oí ___ toda la tarde. (cantar - I heard him singing away all afternoon)","ongoing snapshot: gerund",{"prompt":880,"answer":881,"hint":882},"___ a Pedro arreglar el coche. (ver, yo - I saw Pedro fix the car)","Vi","preterite of ver, plus personal a",{"prompt":884,"answer":885,"hint":886},"Los ___ jugar en el parque. (oír, yo - I heard them play)","oí","direct-object pronoun already given; conjugate oír",{"prompt":888,"answer":608,"hint":889},"Sentí la casa ___. (temblar - I felt the house shake)","whole action: infinitive",{"prompt":891,"answer":892,"hint":893},"Escuché a los niños ___ en el jardín. (reír - I listened to the children laughing)","riendo","caught in progress: gerund of reír",{"type":895,"instructions":896,"items":897},"which-one","Choose the form Spanish uses. Decide between infinitive and gerund, between perceive and deliberately attend, or place the pronoun correctly.",[898,903,907,910,915,919],{"prompt":899,"answer":900,"options":901},"___ vi salir esta mañana. (I saw her leave)","La",[900,902],"Le",{"prompt":904,"answer":570,"options":905},"Oí ___ la puerta desde mi cuarto. (I heard the door close, whole event)",[570,906],"cerrando",{"prompt":908,"answer":558,"options":909},"La vi ___ cuando entré, a medio camino. (I saw her leaving, mid-action)",[552,558],{"prompt":911,"answer":912,"options":913},"___ a los niños cantar a propósito. (I listened to the children sing, on purpose)","Escuché",[914,912],"Oí",{"prompt":916,"answer":375,"options":917},"Vi ___ Pedro arreglar el coche. (I saw Pedro fix the car)",[375,918],"-",{"prompt":920,"answer":921,"options":922},"La ___ salir, no la hice salir. (I saw her leave, I did not make her leave)","vi",[921,923],"hice","md",[926,929,932,935],{"q":927,"a":928},"What is the difference between la vi salir and la vi saliendo?","Both mean roughly I saw her go out, but the aspect differs. La vi salir, with the infinitive, reports the whole completed action: I witnessed the entire event of her leaving, beginning to end. La vi saliendo, with the gerund, catches the action in progress: I saw her mid-departure, a snapshot of her on the way out, without implying I watched the whole thing. Use the infinitive when the action is complete or viewed as a single whole (oí cerrar la puerta, I heard the door close), and the gerund when you want the ongoing, caught-in-the-act flavour (la oí cantando, I heard her singing away). The infinitive is the safer default; the gerund adds live, unfolding colour.",{"q":930,"a":931},"How do the pronouns work with Spanish perception verbs?","The person or thing you perceive is a direct object, so it takes a direct-object pronoun placed before the perception verb: la vi salir (I saw her leave), los oí cantar (I heard them sing), lo sentí temblar (I felt it shake). If you name the doer instead of using a pronoun, and that doer is a person, you need the personal a: vi a Pedro arreglar el coche (I saw Pedro fix the car), oí a los niños jugar (I heard the children play). The a marks Pedro as the human object being perceived; drop it and the sentence sounds wrong. The infinitive or gerund then follows, describing what you saw or heard them doing.",{"q":933,"a":934},"What is the difference between ver and mirar, and oír and escuchar, in this pattern?","Ver and oír are passive perception: things simply reach your eyes or ears. Vi a Juan cruzar la calle means I saw Juan cross the road, whether or not I meant to. Mirar and escuchar are deliberate: you point your attention. Miré a Juan cruzar la calle is I watched Juan cross the road, a chosen act of attention; escuché a los niños cantar is I listened to the children sing, on purpose. All four take the same infinitive-or-gerund structure, so the grammar is identical; only the perceive-versus-attend meaning changes. Pick ver or oír for what merely happened to reach you, mirar or escuchar for what you actively watched or listened to.",{"q":936,"a":937},"How is this different from the causative hacer + infinitive?","They look alike but mean opposite things. A perception verb reports what you sensed someone else doing on their own: la vi salir, I saw her leave - she left, I watched. The causative hacer or mandar plus infinitive means you caused the action: la hice salir, I made her leave - my doing, not just my watching. Sentir sits only on the perception side here (lo sentí temblar, I felt it shake), never the causative one. If the subject merely witnessed the event, it is a perception verb; if the subject brought the event about, it is a causative. The two share the infinitive structure, so keep them apart by meaning.","higher","When you catch someone in the act - you see her leave, you hear him singing, you feel the floor shake - Spanish has a neat two-way choice built into its verbs of perception. Say la vi salir with an infinitive and you report the whole action from start to finish: I saw her leave, the complete going-out. Say la vi saliendo with a gerund and you freeze the same action mid-flow: I saw her leaving, a snapshot of her on the way out. The perceived doer becomes a direct object pronoun stuck in front of the verb (la vi, los oí, lo sentí), and if you name the doer you introduce them with the personal a: vi a Pedro arreglar el coche. The verbs that work this way are the everyday senses - ver (see), oír (hear), escuchar (listen to), sentir (feel), mirar (watch), notar (notice) - and each carries the perceive-versus-deliberately-attend contrast that separates ver from mirar and oír from escuchar. This page assembles the pattern, drills the infinitive-versus-gerund nuance that trips English speakers up, and keeps it clearly apart from the causative hacer + infinitive, which looks similar but means make someone do something.","spanish",{},true,"\u002Fspanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fperception-verbs",{"title":46,"description":861},"spanish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fperception-verbs","iCxXr4Fu1-akaGeq0gSG8TaAqnrF4RCMKrN5QCAFKws",[],{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":949},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M13 21h8M15 5l4 4m2.174-2.188a1 1 0 0 0-3.986-3.987L3.842 16.174a2 2 0 0 0-.5.83l-1.321 4.352a.5.5 0 0 0 .623.622l4.353-1.32a2 2 0 0 0 .83-.497z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":951},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12 15V3m9 12v4a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-4\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m7 10l5 5l5-5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":953},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M20 20a2 2 0 0 0 2-2V8a2 2 0 0 0-2-2h-7.9a2 2 0 0 1-1.69-.9L9.6 3.9A2 2 0 0 0 7.93 3H4a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v13a2 2 0 0 0 2 2Zm-8-10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m15 13l-3 3l-3-3\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":955},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 4.702a.705.705 0 0 0-1.203-.498L6.413 7.587A1.4 1.4 0 0 1 5.416 8H3a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v6a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h2.416a1.4 1.4 0 0 1 .997.413l3.383 3.384A.705.705 0 0 0 11 19.298zM16 9a5 5 0 0 1 0 6m3.364 3.364a9 9 0 0 0 0-12.728\"\u002F>"]