leer
“leer” means “to read” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to read
📝 In Action
Leo un libro todas las noches antes de dormir.
A1I read a book every night before sleeping.
¿Has leído el correo electrónico que te envié?
A2Have you read the email I sent you?
El profesor nos pidió que leyéramos el capítulo cinco para mañana.
B1The teacher asked us to read chapter five for tomorrow.
No puedo leer sin mis gafas.
A1I can't read without my glasses.
to interpret
Also: to read, to understand
📝 In Action
Es un buen político porque sabe leer al público.
B2He's a good politician because he knows how to read the public.
El detective leyó el miedo en sus ojos.
B2The detective read the fear in his eyes.
Intento leer sus intenciones, pero es muy reservado.
C1I'm trying to read his intentions, but he's very reserved.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: leer
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'leer' in a figurative way (to interpret a situation)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'legere,' which meant 'to gather, choose, or read.' You can see its relative in English words like 'legible,' 'lecture,' and 'legend.'
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'leer' sometimes change to 'leyó' or 'leyendo' with a 'y'?
It's all about sound! In Spanish, when the letter 'i' gets squeezed between two other vowels (like in l-e-i-ó), it changes to a 'y' to make it easier and more natural to say. It helps avoid a clumsy vowel sound.
Is 'leer' a regular verb?
It's mostly regular, as it follows the standard pattern for '-er' verbs. However, it has those small spelling changes (like 'i' to 'y') in some forms to keep the pronunciation right. So, it's considered regular but with a predictable spelling change.