vi
/bi/from spelling rules
vi is the Spanish way to say "I watched".
vi is used to express that you looked at something for a period of time in the past. It is the first-person singular preterite indicative form of the verb ver, which means to see or to watch.
Which one should you use?
While vi is often used for watching media like movies or TV, you may also encounter the verb mirar (to look at/to watch). mirar is a common alternative that emphasizes the act of looking at something specifically.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the distinction between completed and ongoing past actions is important. Use vi for a completed action (I watched). If you want to express an ongoing or habitual action in the past, such as "I was watching" or "I used to watch", you should use the imperfect form veía instead.
How do you pronounce it?
/bi/
Did you know?
- While vi means 'I watched', the verb ver is used in the phrase no veo la hora, which literally means 'I do not see the hour' but actually means 'I cannot wait'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the phrase no vi nada is used as a slang expression to claim one is ignoring a problem or pretending not to notice something suspicious.
- In some contexts, vi is used as a shorthand for 'I understood'. For example, saying ya lo vi can mean 'I already saw it' or 'I already get it'.
Examples in context
- Lo vi en YouTube.I watched it on YouTube.This sentence shows how to use vi when referring to seeing something on a digital platform.Tatoeba #2216892 by Shishir, translation #2141532 by Hybrid
- Anoche vi una película sueca.I watched a Swedish movie last night.This sentence demonstrates using vi to describe watching a specific type of movie.Tatoeba #2043305 by Shishir, translation #2030122 by Spamster
- Vi la televisión esta mañana.I watched TV this morning.This sentence provides an example of using vi in the context of watching television.Tatoeba #6624367 by UsuarioX, translation #1880 by Swift
- Yo vi la películaI watched the movie
- He visto el programaI have watched the show
- Me vi el partidoI watched the game
- Sí, vi el partido completo. Estuvo emocionante.Yes, I watched the entire game. It was exciting.
- Sí, he visto todos los episodios. Me encantó.Yes, I have watched all the episodes. I loved it.
- Me vi la película anoche. ¡Fue muy divertida!I watched the movie last night. It was very funny!
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are talking about a documentary at home.
- AlejandroVi el documental ayer.I watched the documentary yesterday.
- Lucía¿Te gustó la historia?Did you like the story?
- AlejandroSí, fue muy interesante.Yes, it was very interesting.
- LucíaYo también lo vi.I watched it too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
