Verbs That Mean "To Know": Saber vs. Conocer

The verbs saber and conocer both translate to "to know" in English; however, they are used in different contexts to convey distinct types of knowledge.

Saber

Saber is used to express knowledge about facts, information, and how to do something.

Conjugation

• Yo sé
• Tú sabes
• Él/Ella/Usted sabe
• Nosotros sabemos
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes saben

Examples

• Yo no sé la hora. (I don't know the time.)
• Ellos no saben jugar al fútbol. (They don't know how to play football.)
• Nosotros no sabemos cómo se llama el profesor. (We don't know what the professor's name is.)

Conocer

Conocer is used for knowing people, pets, places, and being familiar with something. The inclusion of pets under conocer suggests they are often regarded similarly to humans in social contexts.

Conjugation

• Yo conozco
• Tú conoces
• Él/Ella/Usted conoce
• Nosotros conocemos
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes conocen

Examples

• ¿Conoces mi restaurante favorito? (Do you know my favorite restaurant?)
• Ellos no conocen a Shakira. (They don't know Shakira.)
• Yo conozco los libros de Harry Potter. (I am familiar with the Harry Potter books.)

Both verbs signify different aspects of the verb "to know," necessitating careful selection based on the context of knowledge being discussed.

Practice Sentences

• Yo sé las respuestas del examen. (I know the answers to the exam.)
• Nosotros conocemos la piscina. (We know the pool.)
• Ellos conocen a Cristina. (They know Cristina.)
• ¿Sabes jugar ajedrez? (Do you know how to play chess?)
• Inés no sabe conducir. (Inés doesn't know how to drive.)
• Yo conozco a Felipe. (I know Felipe.)
• Raúl y yo sabemos bailar. (Raúl and I know how to dance.)
• ¿Conoces México? (Do you know Mexico?)
• Ellas conocen los poemas de Bécquer. (They are familiar with Bécquer's poems.)
• Él conoce a los estudiantes. (He knows the students.)
• ¿Quién sabe la edad de la abuela? (Who knows the grandmother's age?)
• Paco sabe nadar. (Paco knows how to swim.)