leí
preterite, yo
The past tense of "read" in Spanish depends on the meaning. leí is a finished action, leía is an ongoing or repeated one, and he leído links the past to now.
Meaning: past tense of read (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| leí | preterite, yo |
| leía | imperfect, yo |
| he leído | present perfect, yo |
Ayer leí el libro says you read it and finished. Leía todos los días says you used to read every day.
How does it change in a sentence?
The preterite of leer is leí, leíste, leyó, leímos, leyeron. Note leyó and leyeron with y, and the accent on leí.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In English "read" looks the same in past and present. In Spanish the forms differ, so leo is present and leí is past.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers pronounce leyó with a y sound in the middle, because the verb stem le- meets a vowel ending.
Examples in context
- Ayer leí tu mensaje.Yesterday I read your message.
- De niño leía cuentos todas las noches.As a child I read stories every night.
- Ya he leído ese libro.I have already read that book.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mario talk about a novel.
- Lucía¿Leíste la novela?Did you read the novel?
- MarioSí, la leí en una semana.Yes, I read it in a week.
- LucíaYo la leía antes de dormir.I used to read it before sleeping.
