lea
“lea” means “read” in Spanish (As a formal command (You, sir/ma'am, read)).
read, reads
Also: studies
📝 In Action
Por favor, Señor, lea este contrato con atención.
A2Please, Sir, read this contract carefully (formal command).
Es importante que ella lea las noticias todos los días.
B1It is important that she read (or reads) the news every day.
Ojalá yo lea ese libro antes de la reunión.
B2I hope I read that book before the meeting.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: lea
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'lea' as a formal command?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *legere*, which originally meant 'to gather' or 'to collect,' and later evolved to mean 'to read' (collecting letters into words).
First recorded: Old Spanish, derived directly from the Latin root.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'lea' the same as 'lee'?
No. 'Lee' is the simple present form ('He/she reads'), and the informal command ('Read!'). 'Lea' is the formal command ('You, sir/ma'am, read') and the special verb form (subjunctive) used after expressions of desire or doubt.
Why does 'leer' change from 'le-' to 'ley-' in some forms?
In some past tenses and derived forms (like the gerund 'leyendo' or the preterite 'leyó'), the 'i' vowel sound that would normally appear between two other vowels changes to a 'y' sound to make the word flow better phonetically in Spanish.