In The Sixth Sense, what does Cole Sear say he can see?

In The Sixth Sense, Cole Sear says he can see “dead people.”

The line is revealed during a quiet conversation between Cole and child psychologist Malcolm Crowe. Cole explains that the dead do not know they are dead and that they appear to him unexpectedly, creating the supernatural problem at the center of the film.

M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 movie presents the statement as a major turning point rather than merely a horror catchphrase. Malcolm initially treats Cole’s experiences as symptoms of trauma, but later events lead him to reconsider the boy’s account. The film’s famous twist changes the meaning of several earlier scenes.

The exact wording is often shortened to “I see dead people,” although Cole’s best-known line is “I see dead people.” The answer is therefore the phrase “dead people,” not “ghosts”: the film deliberately uses ordinary language for the spirits Cole encounters.