Leí

Leí is the first-person singular preterite (simple past) form of the Spanish verb leer, meaning “to read.” It denotes a completed action in the past and is used when the speaker refers to something they read at a specific time. The form leí follows the standard preterite pattern for -er verbs with a stem change in some other forms: leí, leíste, leyó, leímos, leísteis, leyeron. The accent on the i distinguishes it from present-tense forms such as leo (I read). The pronunciation is typically [leˈi].

Usage of leí centers on reporting a finished past action that has a direct object, for example: “Ayer leí un libro” (Yesterday I read a book) or “No pude creer lo que leí” (I couldn’t believe what I read). Leí can be contrasted with leía, the imperfect form meaning “I was reading” or “I used to read,” as in “Cuando era joven, leía mucho.” The distinction between leí and leía helps convey whether the action was completed at a specific time or was habitual or ongoing in the past.

Etymology traces leer to Latin legere, with the modern conjugation shaped through the evolution of Old Spanish. Leer as a verb group forms many of its tenses through combinations of a stem with regular -er endings, with irregularities appearing in other persons of the preterite.

See also: leer, conjugation of leer, Spanish past tenses.