Inklingo

How to Say "you read" in Spanish

English → Spanish

lee

/LEH-eh//ˈle.e/

verbA1formal
Use this when addressing one person formally (usted) and referring to the present tense action of reading.
A simple illustration of a young boy sitting comfortably on a chair, absorbed in reading a large, open book.

Examples

¿Usted lee las noticias?

Do you read the news?

Mi hermano lee un libro de ciencia ficción.

My brother reads a science fiction book.

Ella lee sus correos electrónicos cada mañana.

She reads her emails every morning.

El letrero lee 'Cerrado'.

The sign reads 'Closed'.

Who is 'lee' for?

Use 'lee' when you're talking about what 'he' (él), 'she' (ella), or 'you' (usted, the formal version) is reading right now or as a habit.

Mixing up 'lee' and 'le'

Mistake: “'Yo lee doy un libro.'”

Correction: 'Yo le doy un libro.' The word 'le' means 'to him' or 'to her', while 'lee' is the action 'reads'. They sound similar but do very different jobs!

leíste

verbA1informal
Use this when addressing one person informally (tú) and referring to a completed action of reading in the past.

Examples

¿Leíste el mensaje que te mandé?

Did you read the message I sent you?

Formal vs. Informal 'You' and Tense

The most common mistake is mixing up the formal 'usted' form with the informal 'tú' form, and also confusing present tense with past tense. Remember that 'lee' is for formal present, while 'leíste' is for informal past.

Related Translations

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