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I Seen It

In Southern and Appalachian speech, I seen it is a nonstandard but authentic way of saying "I saw it," reflecting older English patterns carried into the mountains and rural South.

#SouthernSayings   #Appalachia   #Southern

synonyms: I saw it, I witnessed it, I beheld it
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll definitely hear 'I seen it' around here, it's a common one. 

Pronunciation

[AH SEEN-it] /aɪ ˈsiːn ɪt/

Meaning & Usage

- Past tense of "see" in dialect speech (saying/phrase)

Sammy:
Did you really see that big catfish?
Earl:
Yeah. I seen it. Biggest one I ever seen.
variations: I seen it, we seen it, ain’t never seen nothing like it
★ "I seen it" is not a mistake - it’s a living dialect form. Scots-Irish and Midlands English settlers brought it to Appalachia, where it stayed alive in everyday speech. ★

Origin

Documented in Appalachian and rural Southern speech since the 19th century. "Seen" as a simple past (rather than past participle) reflects older English usage and has remained a staple of Southern/Appalachian dialect. You’ll also hear "we seen," "you seen," and double negatives like "I ain’t never seen nothing like it."

Notes

  • I seen it - classic Southern/Appalachian way of saying "I saw it."
  • Variants include "we seen it" and "ain’t never seen nothing like it."
  • Often used to emphasize personal witness ("I seen it with my own eyes").
  • Still heard widely in rural and small-town speech; less common in formal settings.
  • Comparable to other nonstandard but authentic forms like "I know it," "I done it," or "I told it."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "I seen it" grammatically correct?
In standard English, no - but in Southern/Appalachian dialect it’s a normal, authentic form.
Where did it come from?
From older British and Scots-Irish English where "seen" was used as a past tense form; it persisted in the American South and Appalachia.
Do people still say it?
Yes - especially in rural areas and among older speakers. Younger Southerners may also use it playfully to signal local identity.
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About
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