Share / Tweet / Pin Me! |
Spanish Verbs to Know
Saber and conocer can both be translated by the English verb “to know,” but they are used in completely different situations.
Saber
Saber means "to know a fact" or "to know how to do something." It is often followed by an infinitive or a subordinate clause.
No sé la respuesta. | I don’t know the answer. | |
¿Sabéis francés? | Do you know French? | |
Sabemos cocinar. | We know how to cook. |
In the pretérito, saber means "to learn" or "to find out:"
Supe el secreto ayer. | I learned/found out the secret yesterday. | |
Ya supo. | He already found out. |
Conocer
Conocer means "to know someone" or "to be familiar with someone," "something," or "somewhere." It can only be followed by a direct object, never by an infinitive or a subordinate clause.
No conocen la obra de Cervantes. | They’re not familiar with Cervantes’ work. | |
¿Ud. conoce Barcelona? | Are you familiar with Barcelona? |
Remember that if the direct object is a person, the personal preposition a must be used.
Conozco a tu padre. | I know your father. | |
No cononce a mis amigos. | He doesn’t know my friends. |
In the pretérito, conocer means "to meet someone for the first time."
Juan conoció a su novia en Costa Rica. | Juan met his girlfriend in Costa Rica. | |
Conocí a Carlos el año pasado. | I meet Carlos last year. |
Saber vs conocer Quizzes
Think you’ve got it? Test yourself on saber vs conocer:
Note: You must be logged into your Progress with Lawless Spanish account to take these tests. If you don’t have one, sign up – it’s free!
Related lessons
En français
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!