In The Sixth Sense, what does Cole Sear say to Dr. Malcolm Crowe?

In The Sixth Sense, Cole Sear tells Dr. Malcolm Crowe, “I see dead people.”

Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, is a frightened child who believes he can see people who have died. He eventually confides in child psychologist Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, during a quiet conversation in which the supernatural premise becomes explicit.

The line became the defining quote of M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 film. Its meaning grows more complicated as the story reveals that the ghosts appear unaware of their deaths and that Cole must learn how to communicate with them rather than simply fear them.

A common mix-up is to quote the phrase as “I see dead persons” or to attribute it to Malcolm. Cole says it, and the wording is plural. The film’s celebrated twist also changes how viewers interpret Malcolm’s scenes, but the quote itself occurs before that revelation.