Signification
To observe something with care and attention to detail.
Contexte culturel
In Spain, '¡Fíjate!' is a very common interjection used to express surprise or to emphasize a point in a story, similar to 'Imagine that!' or 'Check it out!'. While 'fijarse' is common, Mexicans often use 'checar' for the physical act of checking something, but 'fijarse' remains the standard for mental noticing. In the Rioplatense region, you'll hear 'fijate' with the stress on the 'a' (fijáte) due to voseo, but the meaning remains identical. Colombians often use 'fijarse' in a very polite way, frequently using the formal 'fíjese' even among acquaintances to show respect.
The 'En' Rule
Always remember the preposition 'en'. You don't 'fijar' something, you 'te fijas EN' something.
Don't forget the 'Se'
Without the reflexive pronoun, 'fijar' means to physically attach something, like a poster to a wall.
Signification
To observe something with care and attention to detail.
The 'En' Rule
Always remember the preposition 'en'. You don't 'fijar' something, you 'te fijas EN' something.
Don't forget the 'Se'
Without the reflexive pronoun, 'fijar' means to physically attach something, like a poster to a wall.
Use it as a filler
In conversation, start a sentence with 'Fíjate que...' to introduce a fact or a story. It sounds very native.
Regional 'Checar'
If you are in Mexico, feel free to use 'Checa bien', but 'Fíjate bien' will always be understood and sounds more 'standard'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun and preposition.
Yo ___ fijo bien ___ los detalles del cuadro.
The subject 'Yo' requires 'me', and 'fijarse' always takes 'en'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to tell a friend to look closely at a map?
Selecciona la opción correcta:
'Fíjate bien en' is the most idiomatic way to express focused observation.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are checking a contract for errors.
Checking for errors requires the focused attention of 'fijarse bien'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ¿Viste quién entró? B: No, no ___.
The speaker is talking about their own lack of observation, so 'me fijé' is correct.
Match the Spanish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
All pairs are correct translations of the different forms of the phrase.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Mirar vs. Fijarse
Common Objects of Fijarse
Documents
- • Contratos
- • Facturas
- • Mapas
People
- • Ropa
- • Cara
- • Gesto
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesYo ___ fijo bien ___ los detalles del cuadro.
The subject 'Yo' requires 'me', and 'fijarse' always takes 'en'.
Selecciona la opción correcta:
'Fíjate bien en' is the most idiomatic way to express focused observation.
Situation: You are checking a contract for errors.
Checking for errors requires the focused attention of 'fijarse bien'.
A: ¿Viste quién entró? B: No, no ___.
The speaker is talking about their own lack of observation, so 'me fijé' is correct.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
All pairs are correct translations of the different forms of the phrase.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
14 questions'Mirar' is the physical act of looking. 'Fijarse' is the mental act of paying attention to what you see.
No, the correct preposition is always 'en'.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
Me fijé bien, te fijaste bien, se fijó bien, etc.
Usually no. For sounds, we use 'escuchar bien' or 'prestar atención'. 'Fijarse' is primarily visual or mental.
It's an expression of surprise, similar to 'Well, look at that!'
Similar, but 'notar' is often passive (you just notice), while 'fijarse' is active (you try to notice).
You can say 'Le ruego que se fije bien en los documentos adjuntos'.
'Bien' acts as an intensifier to show that the attention is thorough.
Yes, 'fijarse' still means to notice, but 'bien' adds the 'closely' or 'carefully' nuance.
They use 'fijáte' (voseo), but the meaning is the same.
Yes, teachers often say 'Fíjense bien en la pregunta' to avoid silly mistakes.
Very common in 'story' captions: 'Fíjense bien en lo que pasa al final'.
Forgetting the 'en' and saying 'Fíjate el detalle' instead of 'Fíjate EN el detalle'.
Expressions liées
Prestar atención
synonymTo pay attention
Darse cuenta
similarTo realize
Echar un vistazo
contrastTo take a quick look
Pasar por alto
contrastTo overlook
Reparar en
specialized formTo notice
