How to Say "to read" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to read” is “leer” — use 'leer' when you are personally engaging with written material such as books, signs, articles, or emails, or when interpreting a situation or person's feelings..
leer
/leh-EHR//leˈeɾ/
Examples
Leo un libro todas las noches antes de dormir.
I read a book every night before sleeping.
¿Has leído el correo electrónico que te envié?
Have you read the email I sent you?
El profesor nos pidió que leyéramos el capítulo cinco para mañana.
The teacher asked us to read chapter five for tomorrow.
Es un buen político porque sabe leer al público.
He's a good politician because he knows how to read the public.
The 'y' spelling change
When the 'i' of a verb ending comes between two vowels, it changes to a 'y'. This happens in 'leer' to make it easier to say. Notice 'leyó' (he read) and 'leyendo' (reading).
The accent mark in 'leído'
The past form 'leído' (read) needs an accent mark on the 'i'. This keeps the stress on the right syllable and separates the 'e' and 'i' sounds.
Forgetting the 'y'
Mistake: “El niño leió el cuento.”
Correction: El niño leyó el cuento. Remember, when the 'i' is between two vowels (e-i-o), it changes to 'y' for pronunciation.
Missing accent on 'leí'
Mistake: “Yo lei el libro ayer.”
Correction: Yo leí el libro ayer. The accent on the 'í' is important to show that 'I' did the action in the past.
decir
/deh-SEER//deˈθiɾ/
Examples
El cartel dice 'prohibido el paso'.
The sign says 'no entry'.
Su cara lo decía todo.
His face said it all.
El primer capítulo no dice nada sobre su pasado.
The first chapter doesn't say anything about his past.
Using 'leer' when 'decir' is needed
Related Translations
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