observar

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin observāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Central) [up.sərˈba]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [op.sərˈva]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [op.seɾˈvaɾ]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [op.serˈba]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

observar (first-person singular present observo, first-person singular preterite observí, past participle observat); root stress: (Northern) /e̞/; (Balearic, Central, Northwestern, Valencia) /e/

1. to observe

Conjugation

    Central Catalan conjugation of observar (first conjugation)

infinitive			observar
gerund			observant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		observat		observada
		plural		observats		observades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	observo	observes	observa	observem	observeu	observen
	imperfect	observava	observaves	observava	observàvem	observàveu	observaven
	future	observaré	observaràs	observarà	observarem	observareu	observaran
	preterite	observí	observares	observà	observàrem	observàreu	observaren
	conditional	observaria	observaries	observaria	observaríem	observaríeu	observarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	observi	observis	observi	observem	observeu	observin
	imperfect	observés	observessis	observés	observéssim	observéssiu	observessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	observa	observi	observem	observeu	observin
	negative (no)	—	no observis	no observi	no observem	no observeu	no observin

Derived terms

• observatori

Related terms

• observable
• observació
• observador
• observant

Further reading

• “observar”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “observar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “observar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “observar”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Galician

Alternative forms

• auservar
• ouservar

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁óp(i)

Proto-Italic *op

Latin ob

Latin ob-

Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.?

Proto-Italic *serwos

Latin servus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin servō

Latin observārebor.

Galician observar

Borrowed from Latin observāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɔbˈsɛɾbaɾ/ [ˌɔβ̞ˈs̺ɛɾ.β̞aɾ]
• Rhymes: -ɛɾbaɾ

Verb

observar (first-person singular present observo, first-person singular preterite observei, past participle observado)

1. (transitive) to observe, watch

   Synonyms: examinar, ollar, ver

Conjugation

    Conjugation of observar

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	observar
Personal	observar	observares	observar	observarmos	observardes	observaren
Gerund
	observando
Past participle
Masculine	observado			observados
Feminine	observada			observadas
Indicative
Present	observo	observas	observa	observamos	observades	observan
Imperfect	observaba	observabas	observaba	observabamos	observabades	observaban
Preterite	observei	observaches	observou	observamos	observastes	observaron
Pluperfect	observara	observaras	observara	observaramos	observarades	observaran
Future	observarei	observarás	observará	observaremos	observaredes	observarán
Conditional	observaría	observarías	observaría	observariamos	observariades	observarían
Subjunctive
Present	observe	observes	observe	observemos	observedes	observen
Imperfect	observase	observases	observase	observásemos	observásedes	observasen
Future	observar	observares	observar	observarmos	observardes	observaren
Imperative
Affirmative		observa	observe	observemos	observade	observen
Negative (non)		non observes	non observe	non observemos	non observedes	non observen

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• ausservar (Beira, Estremadura, Minho, Trás-os-Montes)
• osservar (Trás-os-Montes)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁óp(i)

Proto-Italic *op

Latin ob

Latin ob-

Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.?

Proto-Italic *serwos

Latin servus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin servō

Latin observārebor.

Portuguese observar

Borrowed from Latin observāre.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ob.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [ob.seɦˈva(h)], /o.bi.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [o.bi.seɦˈva(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ob.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [ob.seɦˈva(h)], /o.bi.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [o.bi.seɦˈva(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /ob.seɾˈva(ɾ)/, /o.bi.seɾˈva(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ob.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [ob.seʁˈva(χ)], /o.bi.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [o.bi.seʁˈva(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /ob.seɻˈva(ɻ)/, /o.bi.seɻˈva(ɻ)/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ob.seʁˈva(ʁ)/ [ob.seɦˈva(h)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɔ.bsɨɾˈvaɾ/ [ɔ.βsɨɾˈvaɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɔ.bsɨɾˈvaɾ/ [ɔ.βsɨɾˈvaɾ]
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɔ.bsɨɾˈbaɾ/ [ɔ.βsɨɾˈβaɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɔ.bsɨɾˈva.ɾi/ [ɔ.βsɨɾˈva.ɾi]

• (Northeast Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɔb.sɛɦ.ˈva(h)/

• Audio (Brazil (Caipira)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ob‧ser‧var

Verb

observar (first-person singular present observo, first-person singular preterite observei, past participle observado)

1. (transitive) to observe, watch

   Synonyms: examinar, olhar, ver

Conjugation

    Conjugation of observar (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	observar
Personal	observar	observares	observar	observarmos	observardes	observarem
Gerund
	observando
Past participle
Masculine	observado			observados
Feminine	observada			observadas
Indicative
Present	observo	observas	observa	observamos	observais	observam
Imperfect	observava	observavas	observava	observávamos	observáveis	observavam
Preterite	observei	observaste	observou	observamos1, observámos2	observastes	observaram
Pluperfect	observara	observaras	observara	observáramos	observáreis	observaram
Future	observarei	observarás	observará	observaremos	observareis	observarão
Conditional	observaria	observarias	observaria	observaríamos	observaríeis	observariam
Subjunctive
Present	observe	observes	observe	observemos	observeis	observem
Imperfect	observasse	observasses	observasse	observássemos	observásseis	observassem
Future	observar	observares	observar	observarmos	observardes	observarem
Imperative
Affirmative		observa	observe	observemos	observai	observem
Negative (não)		não observes	não observe	não observemos	não observeis	não observem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Further reading

• “observar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “observar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁óp(i)

Proto-Italic *op

Latin ob

Latin ob-

Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.?

Proto-Italic *serwos

Latin servus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin servō

Latin observārebor.

Spanish observar

Borrowed from Latin observāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /obseɾˈbaɾ/ [oβ̞.seɾˈβ̞aɾ]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: ob‧ser‧var

Verb

observar (first-person singular present observo, first-person singular preterite observé, past participle observado) (transitive)

1. to observe, to eye
2. to observe (“to obey”)

   Synonym: servar (archaic)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of observar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			observar
gerund			observando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		observado		observada
		plural		observados		observadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	observo	observastú observásvos	observa	observamos	observáis	observan
	imperfect	observaba	observabas	observaba	observábamos	observabais	observaban
	preterite	observé	observaste	observó	observamos	observasteis	observaron
	future	observaré	observarás	observará	observaremos	observaréis	observarán
	conditional	observaría	observarías	observaría	observaríamos	observaríais	observarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	observe	observestú observésvos2	observe	observemos	observéis	observen
	imperfect (ra)	observara	observaras	observara	observáramos	observarais	observaran
	imperfect (se)	observase	observases	observase	observásemos	observaseis	observasen
	future1	observare	observares	observare	observáremos	observareis	observaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		observatú observávos	observe	observemos	observad	observen
	negative		no observes	no observe	no observemos	no observéis	no observen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of observar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive observar	dative	observarme	observarte	observarle, observarse	observarnos	observaros	observarles, observarse
	accusative	observarme	observarte	observarlo, observarla, observarse	observarnos	observaros	observarlos, observarlas, observarse
with gerund observando	dative	observándome	observándote	observándole, observándose	observándonos	observándoos	observándoles, observándose
	accusative	observándome	observándote	observándolo, observándola, observándose	observándonos	observándoos	observándolos, observándolas, observándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative observa	dative	obsérvame	obsérvate	obsérvale	obsérvanos	not used	obsérvales
	accusative	obsérvame	obsérvate	obsérvalo, obsérvala	obsérvanos	not used	obsérvalos, obsérvalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative observá	dative	observame	observate	observale	observanos	not used	observales
	accusative	observame	observate	observalo, observala	observanos	not used	observalos, observalas
with formal second-person singular imperative observe	dative	obsérveme	not used	obsérvele, obsérvese	obsérvenos	not used	obsérveles
	accusative	obsérveme	not used	obsérvelo, obsérvela, obsérvese	obsérvenos	not used	obsérvelos, obsérvelas
with first-person plural imperative observemos	dative	not used	observémoste	observémosle	observémonos	observémoos	observémosles
	accusative	not used	observémoste	observémoslo, observémosla	observémonos	observémoos	observémoslos, observémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative observad	dative	observadme	not used	observadle	observadnos	observaos	observadles
	accusative	observadme	not used	observadlo, observadla	observadnos	observaos	observadlos, observadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative observen	dative	obsérvenme	not used	obsérvenle	obsérvennos	not used	obsérvenles, obsérvense
	accusative	obsérvenme	not used	obsérvenlo, obsérvenla	obsérvennos	not used	obsérvenlos, obsérvenlas, obsérvense

Related terms

• observable
• observación
• observacional
• observador
• observancia
• observante
• observatorio

Further reading

• “observar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025