The Animated Book
of SpanishGrammar Reference

Saber vs. Conocer

Adapted from The Animated Book of Spanish, an interactive Spanish grammar book.

Spanish has two verbs for to know. Saber is for knowing information and how to do things. Conocer is for knowing people and places, being familiar with them.
  1. Saber: information, skills
    Sé dónde vive Marta.

    I know where Marta lives.

    Conocer: people, places
    Conozco a Marta.

    I know Marta.

  2. Saber: information, skills
    ¿Sabes nadar?

    Do you know how to swim?

    Conocer: people, places
    ¿Conoces Barcelona?

    Have you been to Barcelona?

  3. Saber: information, skills
    No sé la respuesta.

    I don’t know the answer.

    Conocer: people, places
    No conozco este barrio.

    I don’t know this neighborhood.

On this page

Saber: facts and skills

Use saber for facts and information: names, answers, dates, and anything you could look up. It often comes before que, si, or a question word.

  • ¿Sabes qué hora es?

    Do you know what time it is?

  • No sabemos si viene.

    We don’t know if he’s coming.

  • Ya sé que es difícil.

    I know it’s hard.

With an infinitive, saber means to know how to. There's no word for how.

  • Mi hija ya sabe leer.

    My daughter already knows how to read.

  • ¿Sabes conducir?

    Can you drive?

  • No sé cocinar.

    I don't know how to cook.

Conocer: people and places

Use conocer for people, places, and things you're familiar with because you've met them, been there, or tried them. With a person, add the personal a.

  • ¿Conoces a mis padres?

    Do you know my parents?

  • No conozco Perú, pero quiero ir.

    I’ve never been to Peru, but I want to go.

  • Conocemos un restaurante muy bueno cerca de aquí.

    We know a really good restaurant near here.

Sé and conozco

Both verbs are irregular in the yo form: sé and conozco. The rest of the present tense is regular.

Present tense of saber (to know (facts, how to))
yosé
nosotrossabemos
túsabes
vosotrossabéis
él / ella / ustedsabe
ellos / ellas / ustedessaben

Only the yo form is irregular.

Supe and conocí

In the preterite, both verbs change meaning. Knowing something starts at a moment: you find out, or you meet someone.

  1. Saber: found out
    Supe la verdad ayer.

    I found out the truth yesterday.

    Conocer: met
    Conocí a mi novia en Madrid.

    I met my girlfriend in Madrid.

  2. Saber: found out
    ¿Cómo lo supiste?

    How did you find out?

    Conocer: met
    Nos conocimos en la universidad.

    We met at college.

In the imperfect, they keep their usual meaning: sabía (I knew), conocía (I knew, was familiar with).

  • No sabía que tenías hermanos.

    I didn’t know you had siblings.

  • Ya conocía a tu jefe.

    I already knew your boss.

Common mistakes English speakers make

  1. Using saber with a person

    Incorrect:¿Sabes a Marta?
    Correct:¿Conoces a Marta?

    Knowing a person is conocer.

  2. Using conocer for a fact

    Incorrect:No conozco dónde está.
    Correct:No sé dónde está.

    Information, like where something is, takes saber.

  3. Adding cómo

    Incorrect:Sé cómo nadar.
    Correct:Sé nadar.

    Saber + an infinitive already means know how to.

  4. Leaving out the personal a

    Incorrect:¿Conoces mi hermano?
    Correct:¿Conoces a mi hermano?

    With a person, conocer needs the personal a.

  5. Using the regular yo form

    Incorrect:Yo conoco a tu padre.
    Correct:Yo conozco a tu padre.

    The yo form adds a z: conozco.

Questions about saber and conocer

What is the difference between saber and conocer?

Both mean "to know." Saber is for knowing facts and information, and knowing how to do something: Sé tu nombre, Sé nadar. Conocer is for being familiar with people, places, and things: Conozco a tu hermano, Conozco Madrid.

How do you say "I know how to" in Spanish?

Saber + an infinitive: Sé cocinar ("I know how to cook"). Don't add cómo.

What is the yo form of saber and conocer?

Sé (with an accent) and conozco. The other present-tense forms are regular: sabes, sabe… and conoces, conoce…

What do supe and conocí mean?

In the preterite, both change meaning. Supe means "I found out": Supe la verdad ayer. Conocí means "I met" someone for the first time: Conocí a mi novia en Madrid.

Do you use saber or conocer with a person?

Conocer, with the personal a: ¿Conoces a Marta? ("Do you know Marta?"). Saber is only for facts about them: Sé dónde vive Marta.

Next upQué vs. cuálTwo ways to say "what": before a noun, with ser, with other verbs, and in exclamations.

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