Phrase · 🙄 Colloquial reactions
¡Mirá vos! No sabía que tocabas el piano.
Well, well! I didn't know you played the piano.
C2mild surprisecolloquialvoseoAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
¡Mirá1verbwell, well (lit. look)mirar · imperative · 2nd sing.vos1pronounyou2nd sing. · subject!Noadverbnotsabía2verbI knewsaber · imperfect · 1st sing.queconjunctionthattocabas2verbyou playedtocar · imperfect · 2nd sing.el3determinerthemasc. · sing. · definitepianonounpianomasc. · sing..
- Mirá → vos: ¡Mirá vos!: surprise formula
- sabía → tocabas: imperfect in both clauses
- tocabas → piano: tocar + instrument
Word for word: “Look, you! I didn't know that you played the piano.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1¡Mirá vos! (Río de la Plata) = well, well!, who knew!: the voseo imperative of mirar + vos, for mild surprise. Voseo: forms and recognition →
- 2No sabía que + imperfect: the imperfect presents an ongoing fact (you play) seen from that past moment. Reported speech I and indirect questions →
- 3tocar el piano: Spanish keeps the article with instruments.
Variations
- ¡Mirá vos! No tenía idea de que tocabas el piano.
- ¡Mira tú! No sabía que tocabas el piano.
- ¡Quién lo diría! No sabía que tocabas el piano.