vió
“vió” means “saw” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
saw
Also: caught sight of
📝 In Action
Ella vió un pájaro azul en el jardín.
A1She saw a blue bird in the garden.
Usted vió el mensaje que le envié, ¿no?
A2You (formal) saw the message I sent you, right?
watched
Also: attended
📝 In Action
Él vió el concierto desde la primera fila.
A2He watched the concert from the front row.
¿Quién vió el final de la serie?
A2Who watched the end of the series?
realized
Also: understood, figured out
📝 In Action
Cuando leyó el informe, vió su error.
B1When he read the report, he realized his mistake.
Ella finalmente vió que tenía que cambiar.
B2She finally understood that she had to change.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: vió
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'vió' to mean 'realized' or 'understood'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *vidēre*, meaning 'to see' or 'to look at.' It is one of the oldest and most fundamental verbs in Spanish.
First recorded: 10th century (in early Romance languages)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'vió' spelled with or without the written accent (tilde)?
While some grammar rules suggest short, single-syllable words shouldn't have an accent, 'vió' (meaning he/she/you saw) is overwhelmingly written with the accent mark in common use and many textbooks. This helps ensure proper pronunciation and distinguishes it clearly as a past-tense verb form.
How is 'vió' different from 'veía'?
Both are past tense, but they describe different types of actions. 'Vió' describes a single, finished action (He saw the light). 'Veía' describes a repeated action or a continuous background state (He used to see the light every morning).