leer
verbBeginnerHigh frequency
What does “leer” mean in English?
to read
Example sentences
Leo un libro por la noche.
I read a book at night.
Lees muy rápido.
You read very fast.
He leído ese libro.
I've read that book.
How to use it
Leer means 'to read'. Irregular -er verb (leo, lees, lee, leemos, leéis, leen). Past participle leído (with accent on the í).
Common mistake
Past participle leído carries an accent on the í to break the diphthong (otherwise it'd be 'lei-do', one syllable). Same for caer → caído, oír → oído.
Forms of leer
- Present
- leo, lees, lee, leemos, leéis, leen
Topics
Related Beginner words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish (Butt, Benjamin & Moreira Rodríguez, Routledge), 13.