Cuando veo un programa gracioso, me río en voz alta.

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Breakdown of Cuando veo un programa gracioso, me río en voz alta.

• en: in
• cuando: when
• gracioso: funny
• un: a
• ver: to see
• reírse: to laugh
• el programa: the show
• la voz: the voice

Questions & Answers about Cuando veo un programa gracioso, me río en voz alta.

Why do we use cuando without an accent here?

In Spanish, cuándo (with an accent) is used for questions or indirect questions. In this sentence, we use cuando (without an accent) as a conjunction meaning “when,” so there’s no accent mark.

Why is it veo instead of miro?

Both ver and mirar can translate to “see” or “watch.” Generally, ver is used more for “to see” or “to watch something that’s on a screen,” while mirar emphasizes the act of looking carefully. In many Spanish-speaking regions, ver un programa is the more common way to say “watch a show.”

What does un programa gracioso mean, and are there synonyms for gracioso?

Un programa gracioso means “a funny show.” The word gracioso conveys an idea of something that makes you laugh or is entertaining. Synonyms include chistoso, divertido, or cómico, all of which can also mean “funny.”

Why do we say me río instead of just río?

The verb reírse is reflexive in Spanish, so you often see it used as me río (I laugh) rather than just río. While reír can appear without the reflexive pronoun in some contexts, reírse with the pronoun is generally the more common form when talking about the action of laughing as something you do yourself.

What does en voz alta literally mean, and why is it used here?

En voz alta literally means “in a loud voice.” It emphasizes that the laughter is audible rather than just a soft chuckle. It’s often used to describe something done out loud, such as reading or laughing, to indicate an audible level.