A guide to saying it like a local

How to Say "I'm just browsing" in Spanish

A simple phrase to let shopkeepers know you're just looking around without pressure to buy.

By PronunciationHub Editors · Reviewed 2026-05-27 · Neutral register

Solo estoy mirando

SOH-loh eh-STOY mee-RAHN-dohneutral

A single phrase, broken down

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Use this when a shopkeeper approaches you and asks if you need help. It's a polite way to say you're not ready to purchase anything yet.

Alternatives

While 'viendo' means 'seeing,' 'mirando' is better for actively looking around a store.

The word 'solo' means 'alone' or 'just,' not 'sun' (which is 'sol').

In many Spanish-speaking countries, shopkeepers might be more persistent than in English-speaking cultures, so this phrase is very useful.

Leather goods market in Buenos Aires

You're walking through a leather shop in San Telmo and the owner steps out from behind the counter before you've even touched anything. You're not sure yet whether the wallet you spotted is genuine leather or not, so you say 'Solo estoy mirando' while you keep turning it over in your hands.
Pharmacy doubling as gift shop

You ducked into a farmacia in Mexico City to get out of the midday heat and noticed a shelf of hand-painted ceramic figures near the door. A teenage employee in a green apron is already heading toward you with a practiced smile, and you haven't even decided if you want anything.
Clothing stall at weekend market

You and a friend are moving slowly through a tianguis in Guadalajara, and a vendor at a clothing stall calls out '¿Le ayudo en algo?' the moment you pause to feel the fabric of a embroidered blouse. Your friend keeps walking; you want a moment to look without committing to a conversation.

Estoy echando un vistazo — I'm just having a look around: Slightly more casual and conversational than the main phrase; common in Spain and heard in urban areas of Latin America — works well when you want to sound relaxed rather than dismissive.
Solo estoy viendo, gracias — I'm just looking, thanks: Very common in Mexico and Central America specifically; 'viendo' replaces 'mirando' in everyday speech in those regions, so use this if you're shopping there and want to sound less textbook.
Por ahora no necesito nada, gracias — I don't need anything for now, thanks: More formal and complete; useful if the shopkeeper has already given you a full greeting or if you want to close the interaction more definitively without seeming rude.
Déjeme ver un momento — Let me have a look for a moment: Slightly more assertive — you're politely asking for space rather than just stating what you're doing; appropriate when a vendor is standing very close or has already started a sales pitch.

English speakers often stress 'mirando' on the wrong syllable, landing on the last one and producing 'mee-ran-DOH' — in Spanish the stress stays on the second-to-last syllable, giving you 'mee-RAHN-doh', and getting this wrong can make the word sound unfamiliar to a native speaker.
The word 'solo' here means 'just' or 'only', but in spoken Spanish the accent mark that once distinguished 'sólo' (only) from 'solo' (alone) has been officially dropped by the RAE — so don't worry about writing it with an accent, and don't be confused if you see it both ways in older signs or books.
Unlike English, where 'I'm just browsing' can sometimes sound slightly defensive or even dismissive, 'Solo estoy mirando' is received as genuinely neutral and polite in most Spanish-speaking shopping contexts — you don't need to soften it further with extra apologies.

When do I say 'Solo estoy mirando'?

Say this when a salesperson asks if you need help. It politely signals you're not ready to buy.

Is there a more formal way to say I'm browsing?

You can add 'señor' or 'señora' for a touch more formality, like 'Solo estoy mirando, señor.' However, the original phrase is generally acceptable.

What if they keep asking me questions?

You can repeat 'Solo estoy mirando, gracias' or add 'Ya le avisaré si necesito algo' (I'll let you know if I need something).