vi
/bee/
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ayer vi una película increíble.
A1Yesterday I saw an incredible movie.
Vi a tu hermana en el parque.
A1I saw your sister in the park.
¿Viste mis llaves? No las vi por ninguna parte.
A2Did you see my keys? I didn't see them anywhere.
Cuando abrí la caja, vi que estaba vacía.
B1When I opened the box, I saw that it was empty.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'I' Form in the Simple Past (Preterite)
'Vi' means 'I saw' and talks about a completed action in the past. It comes from the verb 'ver' (to see). Notice how short it is! This is common for some very frequent irregular verbs in this tense.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'vi' vs. 'veía'
Mistake: "Cuando era niño, vi mucha televisión."
Correction: Cuando era niño, veía mucha televisión. Use 'vi' for a single, completed moment (like a snapshot): 'Vi el final de la película.' Use 'veía' for repeated or ongoing actions in the past (like a video): 'Veía esa serie todos los días.' (I used to watch that show every day).
⭐ Usage Tips
For Specific Moments
'Vi' is perfect for storytelling when you're listing events that happened one after another. For example: 'Llegué a casa, abrí la puerta y vi el desorden.' (I got home, opened the door, and saw the mess).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: vi
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'vi' to describe a past event?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'vi' so short compared to other past tense verbs like 'hablé' or 'comí'?
Great question! 'Vi' comes from the verb 'ver', which is irregular. A handful of very common verbs in Spanish (like 'ver', 'dar', 'ir', 'ser') have their own special, short forms in the simple past tense. You just have to memorize them, but since you'll use them all the time, they become second nature quickly!
Can I say 'yo vi'?
Yes, you absolutely can! Saying 'Yo vi' emphasizes that *I* was the one who saw it. However, because the ending '-i' in 'vi' already tells us the action was done by 'yo' (I), it's very common to just say 'vi' on its own. Both are correct.