Spanish Phrase
¿Me lees esto?
Meaning
Literally, “Do you read this to me?” It is a polite request for someone to read a text aloud for the speaker, often used when the speaker cannot read the material themselves or wants to hear the pronunciation.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need a friend, teacher, or colleague to read a passage, a menu, a sign, or any written text out loud for you—especially in informal settings or when helping someone with a visual impairment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Meleesesto?
Me (indirect object pronoun)
‘Me’ replaces ‘a mí’ and indicates that the action of the verb is directed toward the speaker.
Lees (present indicative, tú)
‘Lees’ is the second‑person singular present form of ‘leer’, used in informal contexts.
Esto (demonstrative pronoun)
‘Esto’ points to something close to the speaker; it functions as the direct object of ‘leer’.
Question marks
Spanish uses an opening (¿) and a closing (?) question mark for all interrogative sentences.
🗨In Conversation
¿Me lees esto?
Could you read this for me?
Claro, aquí tienes.
Sure, here it is.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Me leí esto?
‘Leí’ is first‑person past tense; you need the second‑person present ‘lees’ for a request.
¿Me lees?
Leaving out the direct object ‘esto’ makes the sentence vague unless the context is already clear.
¿Me leemos esto?
‘Leemos’ is first‑person plural (we read); the request is directed to a single person, so use ‘lees’ (tú) or ‘lee’ (usted).
↔Alternatives
¿Puedes leerme esto?
Can you read this for me?
¿Me lo lees?
Will you read it to me?
¿Podrías leer esto para mí?
Could you read this for me?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries the clitic pronoun often appears after the verb in the form ‘leerme’, especially in spoken language: ‘¿Puedes leerme esto?’ Both structures are correct, but ‘¿Me lees esto?’ sounds slightly more formal and is common in classroom or service contexts. Remember to match the verb form with the level of familiarity—use ‘lee’ for ‘usted’ in formal situations.