How to Conjugate Leer
Use the present indicative., Conjugate leer in the preterit indicative., Learn the imperfect indicative., Know the future indicative., Switch to the conditional indicative.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the present indicative.
The present indicative is almost always the first verb form you will learn when studying Spanish.
It is used to talk about current actions.
In the case of leer, the present indicative is used to refer to the act of reading when that act is presently going on.
Example: "She is reading the novel," Ella lee la novela. yo: leotú: lees él/ella/usted: lee nosotros/-as: leemos vosotros/-as: leéis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leen -
Step 2: Conjugate leer in the preterit indicative.
Use the preterit indicative to refer to the act of reading when that act has concretely happened in the past and has since come to a clear end and is no longer being performed.
The verb leer is irregular in the preterit indicative.
Example: "I read that novel last month," Lei esa novela el mes pasado. yo: leí tú: leíste él/ella/usted: leyó nosotros/-as: leímos vosotros/-as: leísteis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leyeron , The imperfect indicative should be used to refer to the act of reading when that act has concretely happened in the past but has not come to a final or definite end.
It is often used as a background tense for an action that was in progress when another action (in the preterit) took place.
Alternatively, it is used for habitual events in the past.
Example: "They used to read frequently," Ellos leían con frecuencia. yo: leía tú: leías él/ella/usted: leía nosotros/-as: leíamos vosotros/-as: leíais ellos/ellas/ustedes: leían , The future indicative tense should be used to describe an act of reading that will definitely happen at some point in the future.
Example: "We will read that novel next week," Leeremos esa novela la semana próxima. yo: leeré tú: leerás él/ella/usted: leerá nosotros/-as: leeremos vosotros/-as: leeréis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leerán , The conditional indicative is used to describe an act of reading that would be done at some point in the future as long as another condition or circumstance ends up being true.
Example: "In that case, Pablo would read Hemingway's novel," En ese caso, Pablo leería la novela de Hemingway. yo: leería tú: leerías él/ella/usted: leería nosotros/-as: leeríamos vosotros/-as: leeríais ellos/ellas/ustedes: leerían -
Step 3: Learn the imperfect indicative.
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Step 4: Know the future indicative.
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Step 5: Switch to the conditional indicative.
Detailed Guide
The present indicative is almost always the first verb form you will learn when studying Spanish.
It is used to talk about current actions.
In the case of leer, the present indicative is used to refer to the act of reading when that act is presently going on.
Example: "She is reading the novel," Ella lee la novela. yo: leotú: lees él/ella/usted: lee nosotros/-as: leemos vosotros/-as: leéis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leen
Use the preterit indicative to refer to the act of reading when that act has concretely happened in the past and has since come to a clear end and is no longer being performed.
The verb leer is irregular in the preterit indicative.
Example: "I read that novel last month," Lei esa novela el mes pasado. yo: leí tú: leíste él/ella/usted: leyó nosotros/-as: leímos vosotros/-as: leísteis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leyeron , The imperfect indicative should be used to refer to the act of reading when that act has concretely happened in the past but has not come to a final or definite end.
It is often used as a background tense for an action that was in progress when another action (in the preterit) took place.
Alternatively, it is used for habitual events in the past.
Example: "They used to read frequently," Ellos leían con frecuencia. yo: leía tú: leías él/ella/usted: leía nosotros/-as: leíamos vosotros/-as: leíais ellos/ellas/ustedes: leían , The future indicative tense should be used to describe an act of reading that will definitely happen at some point in the future.
Example: "We will read that novel next week," Leeremos esa novela la semana próxima. yo: leeré tú: leerás él/ella/usted: leerá nosotros/-as: leeremos vosotros/-as: leeréis ellos/ellas/ustedes: leerán , The conditional indicative is used to describe an act of reading that would be done at some point in the future as long as another condition or circumstance ends up being true.
Example: "In that case, Pablo would read Hemingway's novel," En ese caso, Pablo leería la novela de Hemingway. yo: leería tú: leerías él/ella/usted: leería nosotros/-as: leeríamos vosotros/-as: leeríais ellos/ellas/ustedes: leerían
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