vió
/vee-OH/
saw
Vió (saw) the apple for the first time.
📝 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?
💡 Grammar Points
The Quick Past Tense
This form ('vió') is used for actions that started and finished quickly in the past, like a single event or action.
Irregularity of 'Ver'
The verb 'ver' (to see) is highly irregular in the simple past (preterite), but thankfully, the 'él/ella/usted' form is short and easy to remember: vió.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'veía' instead of 'vió' when describing a single, finished event."
Correction: Use 'vió' for a one-time event ('Ayer vió la película'). Use 'veía' for habitual actions or background descriptions ('Cada semana veía la misma película').
⭐ Usage Tips
Remember the Accent
Even though it's a short word, we write 'vió' with an accent mark to show where the stress falls and to distinguish it from other similar-looking words.
Vió (watched) the performance.
📝 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?
💡 Grammar Points
Seeing vs. Watching
Unlike English, Spanish often uses 'ver' (vió) for both 'to see' and 'to watch' (especially TV or films), so you don't always need 'mirar'.
Vió (realized) the solution to the problem.
vió(verb)
realized
?understood a concept
understood
?got the point
,figured out
?solved a problem
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Sight
Just like in English, 'to see' can mean 'to understand' in Spanish. 'Vió' is often used when someone has a sudden moment of clarity or realization.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: vió
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'vió' to mean 'realized' or 'understood'?
📚 More Resources
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).