vi
“vi” means “I saw” in Spanish (Past action of seeing).
I saw
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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.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: vi
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'vi' to describe a past event?
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📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'vidēre', meaning 'to see'. The 'd' and the final 'e' were dropped over time in Spanish, resulting in the very short and common form 'ver'. 'Vi' is the direct evolution of the Latin 'vīdī', which also meant 'I saw'.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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.