Jun 04 - to Know: ¿saber o conocer?

This is one of the post in my website. You can find a lot of useful Spanish tips if you want to visit it

Do you want to try to write a sentence with both, saber and conocer?

The verbs SABER y CONOCER both means "to know". However, you need choose "saber" or "conocer" depending on the context in wich is used it. These verbs are not interchangeable.

SABER
yo sé
tú sabes
él/ud sabe
nosotros sabemos vosotros sabéis ellos/uds saben

CONOCER yo conozco tú conoces él/ud conoce
nosotros conocemos
vosotros conocéis ellos/uds conocen

• Watch out! Both saber and conocer are verbs with irregular first person.

SABER means to know facts and information:

1.To know information: saber

I know your telephone number. Yo sé tu número de teléfono.

1. To know that: saber que....

They know that I am here. Ellos saben que yo estoy aquí.

1. To know how to do something: saber + infinitive

He knows how to play tennis. Él sabe jugar al tenis.

CONOCER is used to express familiarity with a person, a place, a thing or a particular field of learning:

1. To know a person: conocer a

We know your sister. Nosotros conocemos a tu hermana.

1. To know a place

I know Spain. Conozco España.

1. To know (be familiar with) a thing, be well versed in an area

The hairdresser knows his client's hair. El peluquero conoce el pelo de sus clientes.