mirar fijamente
verbCEFR B1
What does “mirar fijamente” mean in English?
to stare, to gaze fixedly at
to stare, to gaze fixedly at (fijamente = fixedly; no single verb for 'stare' in Spanish)
Example sentences
El niño miraba fijamente la pantalla durante horas sin moverse; sus padres estaban preocupados por el tiempo que pasaba delante de la tele.
The child was staring at the screen for hours without moving; his parents were worried about the time he was spending in front of the TV.
En la sala de espera, un hombre me miraba fijamente de una manera que me hizo sentir incómodo, así que cambié de asiento.
In the waiting room, a man was staring at me in a way that made me feel uncomfortable, so I changed seats.
Mirarle fijamente a los ojos durante una conversación es un signo de confianza en algunas culturas, pero puede resultar agresivo en otras.
Staring someone in the eyes during a conversation is a sign of confidence in some cultures, but can seem aggressive in others.
How to use it
Mirar fijamente means 'to stare' or 'to gaze fixedly at'. Spanish has no single-word equivalent of English 'stare' — it uses the adverbial phrase fijamente (fixedly) with mirar. The adverb fijamente derives from fijar (to fix), and its use after mirar intensifies the looking into sustained attention. Alternatively, clavar la mirada en (to fix one's gaze on) is a more literary equivalent. Mirar fijamente can have positive (concentration, interest) or uncomfortable (intrusive, threatening) connotations depending on context.
Common mistake
Spanish has no single verb for 'stare' — mirar fijamente is the standard construction. Do not use *mirar con fijeza (possible but uncommon) or *fijar la mirada en (literary). The adverb fijamente always follows directly after mirar in standard use. Context determines whether staring is positive or threatening.