diff --git a/xion/__main__.py b/xion/__main__.py
index 30cde08..4f13984 100644
--- a/xion/__main__.py
+++ b/xion/__main__.py
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ def main():
         "-y", "--yes", action="store_true",
         help="Do not ask for confirmation"
     )
+    argparser.add_argument(
+        "-v", "--verbose", action="store_true",
+        help="Verbose output"
+    )
     args = argparser.parse_args()
 
-    xion = Xion(xq=args.xq_path)
+    xion = Xion(xq=args.xq_path, verbose=args.verbose)
     if args.export:
         channel, root, output = args.export
         tree = xion.build_tree(channel, root)
diff --git a/xion/xfconf.py b/xion/xfconf.py
index 4e1ee0c..69f1b40 100644
--- a/xion/xfconf.py
+++ b/xion/xfconf.py
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ class Xfconf:
         "gchararray": "string",
     }
 
-    def __init__(self, xq=None):
+    def __init__(self, xq=None, verbose=False):
         self._xq = xq or self.find_xq()
+        self.verbose = verbose
 
     def xq(self, command, print_failures=True):
         """Run a xion-query command and return its output or None on error."""
         command.insert(0, self._xq)
+        if self.verbose:
+            print(f"$ {' '.join(command)}")
         try:
             return subprocess.check_output(
                 command, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT
diff --git a/xion/xion.py b/xion/xion.py
index 9ba01cd..deb47fe 100644
--- a/xion/xion.py
+++ b/xion/xion.py
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ from xion.xfconf import Xfconf
 class Xion:
     """Manipulate Xfconf settings trees."""
 
-    def __init__(self, xq=None):
-        self.xfconf = Xfconf(xq=xq)
+    def __init__(self, xq=None, verbose=False):
+        self.xfconf = Xfconf(xq=xq, verbose=verbose)
+        self.verbose = verbose
 
     def build_tree(self, channel, root="/"):
         """Return a dict of properties in this channel, filtering on root.