Spanish Phrase
Puedes ver lo que hace el técnico.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘You can see what the technician does.’ It combines the modal verb *poder* with an infinitive to express permission, and a relative clause *lo que hace el técnico* that specifies the action being observed.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to tell someone they are allowed to watch a technician at work – for example in a repair shop, a lab, or during a technical demonstration.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Puedesverloquehaceeltécnico
Poder + infinitive
‘Puedes’ is the second‑person singular present of *poder* followed by an infinitive; it expresses ability or permission.
Infinitive ‘ver’
The verb *ver* stays in its infinitive form after *poder*.
Relative clause ‘lo que’
‘Lo que’ works as a neutral relative pronoun meaning ‘what/that which’, introducing the clause *hace el técnico*.
Present indicative ‘hace’
‘Hace’ is the third‑person singular present of *hacer*; it agrees with the subject *el técnico*.
Definite article + profession
‘El técnico’ uses the masculine singular article *el* because *técnico* is a profession.
🗨In Conversation
¿Puedo observar al técnico mientras repara mi coche?
Can I watch the technician while he repairs my car?
Claro, puedes ver lo que hace el técnico.
Sure, you can see what the technician does.
✕Common Mistakes
Puedes ver lo que haces el técnico.
‘Haces’ is second‑person singular; the subject of the clause is *el técnico* (third person), so the correct form is *hace*.
Puede ver lo que hace el técnico.
Using *puede* changes the subject to ‘you (formal)’; if you intend an informal tone, keep *puedes*.
Puedes ver que lo hace el técnico.
The order *lo que* is fixed; swapping them creates an ungrammatical phrase.
↔Alternatives
Puedes observar al técnico.
You can watch the technician.
Puedes ver lo que el técnico está haciendo.
You can see what the technician is doing.
Mira lo que hace el técnico.
Look at what the technician does.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking cultures it’s courteous to ask permission before observing a professional at work; using *puedes* is informal. In a formal setting you would say *Puede ver lo que hace el técnico?* or *Puede observar al técnico?* Also, *técnico* can refer to a wide range of specialists – from IT support to automotive mechanics – so the context clarifies the exact role.