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Voir or regarder? Nine questions on seeing, looking and watching

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Test voir and regarder in nine everyday situations: a view from a window, a photo, television, a film and meeting someone. Answers explain each choice.

In short

Voir means to see: Je vois le jardin (I can see the garden). Regarder means to look at or watch: Je regarde le jardin. You also use voir for meeting someone and seeing a film.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A person looking out from a French coastal apartment window across the sea, plain interior and small full figure.
Je vois la mer describes what is visible. Illustration: Atelier

voirto see

Focus: what you can see or the experience of seeing

voir + direct object

Tu vois la maison rouge ?
Can you see the red house?

Je vois ma sœur demain.
I’m seeing my sister tomorrow.

regarderto look at / watch

Focus: where you direct your eyes or attention

regarder + direct object

Regarde cette photo !
Look at this photo!

Nous regardons la télévision.
We are watching television.

Study first: the present forms
voirregarder
jevoisregarde
tuvoisregardes
il / elle / onvoitregarde
nousvoyonsregardons
vousvoyezregardez
ils / ellesvoientregardent

English “at” disappears in regarder la photo. For a film, both verbs work: J’ai vu ce film reports that you have seen it; J’ai regardé ce film hier soir describes watching it. The questions below give a specific situation so you can choose a natural sentence.

What can you see?

  1. Question 1No account needed
    You are telling someone what is visible from your room. Choose “I can see the sea.”

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je vois la mer.. Je vois la mer describes the view available to you.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Ask one friend to look at a photo.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Regarde cette photo !. The tu instruction is regarde, followed directly by the object.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Complete the usual phrase for watching television.Le soir, nous ___ la télévision.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    regardons. Nous regardons la télévision names the activity of watching TV.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    You have arranged to meet Paul tomorrow. Choose the natural sentence.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je vois Paul demain.. Voir quelqu’un can mean meeting them, including an arranged meeting.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Complete voir with vous.Vous ___ le panneau ?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    voyez. The vous form of voir is voyez: vous voyez.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Which statement about a film is correct?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Both voir and regarder can work with a film.. Voir un film and regarder un film are both natural, with different focuses.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Say “We can see the station” with voir.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Nous voyons la gare.. With nous, voir becomes voyons. The station is the direct object.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Choose the sentence meaning “I’m going to see a film at the cinema.”

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je vais voir un film au cinéma.. After je vais, use an infinitive: voir. Aller voir un film is a common cinema phrase.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    What does Je vois mean as a reply to an explanation?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    I see / I understand.. As a short reply, Je vois can express understanding.

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