Pues & A Ver

[writerscramp1107]

I learned these a year or two ago, but I've forgotten the exact meanings. Can you give me an example in normal speech of where to use them?

Pues
A ver
Bueno

Muchas Gracias
Alejandra

[Tomisimo]

--¿Dónde podré encontrar un ejemplar de ese libro?
--Bueno, pues ve a la biblioteca a ver si tienen uno.

--Where will I be able to find a copy of that book?
--Well, go to the library and see if they have one.

Bueno and pues can both be used like we use well in English. A ver is often translated to see, see, let's see etc.

Maybe others can give some examples. All three of those expressions are extremely common.

[Alfonso]

• A ver, ¿qué es lo que te propones?

In cases like the previous one, a ver doesn't mean anything. It's just an interjection to catch the attention from your interlocutor. It's quite common in Spanish. I suppose it will be translated one way or another depending on the context.

• Vamos a ver: te dije que no quería salir más contigo...
• A ver: ¿quién ha hecho los deberes?

I provide a translation into English omitting the phrase a ver:

• What do you attempt to do?
• I told you I didn't want to go out with you any longer.
• Who made their homework?

Any native English speaker willing to translate a ver in these sentences?

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

• A ver, ¿qué es lo que te propones?
• Vamos a ver: te dije que no quería salir más contigo...
• A ver: ¿quién ha hecho los deberes?

Any native English speaker willing to translate a ver in this sentences

... in these sentences.

Sure, I'll give it a try.

• Let's see, what do you propose to do?
• [Remember/Let's see/Let's review]: I told you I didn't want to go out with you anymore.
• Let's see, who has done their duty?/Who has done what they had to do?/who has completed their tasks?

[Liam]

Hello Alejandra,

After listening to my Spanish tutor during many classes,
when she hesitated before speaking, I would hear her use one of these expressions.
She explained, with many verba lexamples, that they are used as "fillers" like we would use, wellll..., emmm..., now let me seee.., let's seee....
in the english language.
I have used them when in conversation, for example, to give myself time to think before giving a reply.
They, of course also have their literal translations of: Since, to see and good used in the appropriate context.

I hope this is of some help.

[bmarquis124]

my mexican friends use mira as a filler too, i think. they are always saying it and i thought at first they were frustrated with me, because in english we (or at least, i)often start a sentence with look when i'm having to explain something that is obvious or when i'm annoyed by the other person...ok look, i'm busy right now, can you please leave me alone? or look, we all know the world revolves around you, but....
anyways, now i realize that they don't always use it the same way we use it in english.

[CrOtALiTo]

Bmarquist, I feel, you friends get frustrated because, might they don't understand your English and it could has holdover in a bad communication between people, of course if you try to understanding them, then you also will get some of frustration, I know some about it.

[Zwarte Piet]

Those are conversation fillers. Like the equivalent to saying "uh" in english.

[Glen]

Does a ver come from the verb averiguar, "to find out?"

[Rusty]

No, it is an idiomatic expression. It means "now then," "let's see" or "hmmm".

[Glen]

Thanks Rusty, so rather than being a short form of averigüemos it's really a stand-alone phrase with a serving as the preposition that points to the action verb ver. Somewhat like my own personal favorite ¡A comer!, right?

[Rusty]

S.O.C.K.S.
(Eso sí que es.)