ves
Lemma Details
Translation: you see; you watch; you look at
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: "Ves" is the second-person singular present tense form of the verb "ver" (to see). The verb "ver" comes from Latin "vidēre" (to see), which is related to English words like "vision," "video," and "evident." The Latin root "vid-" is also found in English "view" and "visit." The irregular conjugation pattern of "ver" preserves some of the phonetic changes that occurred as Latin evolved into Spanish.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 50%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of "ves" as related to English "vision" - both involve seeing.
- "Ves" sounds a bit like the start of "vision" - both relate to seeing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
The verb "ver" and its forms like "ves" are extremely common in everyday Spanish. It's used not only for literal seeing but also for understanding concepts (similar to English "I see" meaning "I understand"). The expression "ya lo ves" (now you see it) is often used to point out something that has become evident.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: "Ves" is the verb form meaning "you see," while "vez" is a noun meaning "time" or "occasion."
Notes: These words sound identical in many Spanish dialects where the final 's' and 'z' are pronounced the same way.
Mnemonic: "Ves" ends with 's' for 'see', while "vez" ends with 'z' for 'time' (z looks like the hand of a clock).
Explanation: "Ves" means "you see" (from "ver"), while "vas" means "you go" (from "ir").
Notes: Both are second-person singular present tense forms of common irregular verbs.
Mnemonic: "Ves" has an 'e' like in "see", while "vas" has an 'a' like in "travel."