Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Veo el partido con mis amigos.

In Spanish, subject pronouns (like yo for “I”) are usually omitted because the verb ending already tells you who’s doing the action. Here, veo ends in -o, which means “I” in the present tense of the verb ver. You could say Yo veo el partido con mis amigos for extra emphasis, but it’s not necessary.

What exactly is veo? Which verb is it and what tense is it?

Veo is the first‐person singular (yo) form of the irregular verb ver, in the present indicative tense. Literally it means “I see” or “I watch.” The full conjugation of ver in the present is: • yo veo
• tú ves
• él/ella/usted ve
• nosotros vemos
• vosotros veis
• ellos/ellas/ustedes ven

What’s the difference between ver and mirar? Why veo el partido instead of miro el partido?

Both verbs can mean “to watch,” but with subtle differences: • ver focuses on the act of perceiving something (you take it in).
• mirar stresses the act of looking at something (you direct your gaze).
In Latin America people often prefer ver el partido to talk about watching sports (it’s more idiomatic). Saying miro el partido isn’t wrong, but it feels more like “I’m looking at the match” rather than “I’m following it actively.”

Why do we use the definite article el before partido? Could we say just veo partido?

Spanish generally uses the definite article before nouns when talking about specific events, habitual actions, or things in general. Here, el partido means “the match” (a particular game you and your friends intend to watch). Dropping the article (veo partido) sounds ungrammatical in Spanish.

What does partido mean here? Could we use juego instead?

In sports contexts, partido means “match” or “game” (e.g. soccer, basketball). Juego is “game” in a broader sense (board game, video game, children’s game) but is rarely used for organized sports events. So for a soccer or baseball match you say partido, not juego.

Why is it con mis amigos? How would I say “with my friends and family” or “with my girlfriend”?

The preposition con means “with,” and mis amigos means “my friends.” To extend it: • “with my friends and family” → con mis amigos y mi familia
• “with my girlfriend” → con mi novia
Just adjust the possessive (mi, mis) and the noun to match whoever you’re with.

Can I use the present progressive estoy viendo instead of veo? What’s the difference?

Yes.
• Veo el partido con mis amigos. can mean “I watch the match with my friends” (habitual or planned).
• Estoy viendo el partido con mis amigos. emphasizes “I am watching the match with my friends right now.”
Spanish uses the simple present more often than English does for ongoing actions, but both forms are correct.

Why is amigos masculine? What if I only watch with female friends?

In Spanish, a group of all females takes the feminine plural amigas. If your friends are all women, you’d say con mis amigas. A mixed group or a group of men uses the masculine plural amigos (which is why mis amigos can refer to either “male friends” or “friends” in general).