Saber vs conocer, explained
Saber and conocer both mean "to know". Saber is for knowledge you can state: a fact, a piece of information, a clause with que or a question word, and, before an infinitive, a skill ("sé nadar", I can swim). Conocer is for acquaintance: a person (with the personal a), a place, a book, a song, anything you have met or experienced. "No sé dónde vive Ana" means I don't know where Ana lives; "No conozco a Ana" means I have never met her.
Updated 24 October 2026
Saber and conocer in one table
English has one verb, "know", and Spanish splits it in two. The split is not about how well you know something but about what kind of thing it is. Information goes with saber; things you have come across go with conocer. Here is every common use on one page.
| What you know | Verb | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A fact (que + clause) | saber | Sé que tienes razón. | I know you're right. |
| A piece of information | saber | ¿Sabes su número? | Do you know her number? |
| A question word or si | saber | No sé si viene. | I don't know if he's coming. |
| A skill (+ infinitive) | saber | ¿Sabes cocinar? | Can you cook? |
| Something learnt by heart | saber(se) | Me sé el poema de memoria. | I know the poem by heart. |
| A person (personal a) | conocer | Conozco a tu jefa. | I know your boss. |
| A place | conocer | ¿Conoces Granada? | Have you been to Granada? |
| A book, a film, a brand, a dish | conocer | ¿Conoces este libro? | Do you know this book? |
| Meeting someone for the first time | conocer | Quiero conocer a tus padres. | I want to meet your parents. |
| Finding out (preterite) | saber | Lo supe ayer. | I found out yesterday. |
| Meeting (preterite) | conocer | La conocí en Roma. | I met her in Rome. |
| Taste of | saber a | Sabe a fresa. | It tastes of strawberry. |
| Know about, hear from | saber de | No sé nada de Luis. | I haven't heard from Luis. |
Saber: facts, information and indirect questions
Saber is the verb for knowledge that can be put into words and passed on: that the shop is shut, what time the train leaves, who won, where your keys are. If you could answer "what do you know?" with a sentence, the verb is saber. That is why saber is the only one of the two that can take a whole clause after it.
It takes three kinds of clause. With que, it introduces a fact: "sé que tienes razón". With a question word (qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, cuánto, por qué) or with si, it introduces an indirect question: "no sé dónde lo dejé", "¿sabes si hay clase mañana?". In both cases the verb of the clause stays in the indicative, because saber presents what follows as information. Saber also takes nouns, but only nouns that are pieces of information: a name, a number, an address, the answer, the truth, the way. And it is the verb behind "I know" on its own: "ya lo sé", where lo stands for the fact just mentioned.
¿ ?
Do you know what time the pharmacy closes?
Select a word to see why it is there.
SabesVerb“do you know”
- Why this word
- Present of saber, second person singular (tú)
- Saber, because what you are asking for is a piece of information: the closing time. Its object is the whole indirect question that follows, and a clause after a verb of knowing always takes saber. "¿Conoces a qué hora cierra?" is not Spanish.
- Dictionary
- saber · verb — to know (a fact, information); to know how to
- Alternatives
- ¿Sabe usted (formal: asking a stranger in the street)
In this sentence
- Sabes · Verb:
- Saber, because what you are asking for is a piece of information: the closing time. Its object is the whole indirect question that follows, and a clause after a verb of knowing always takes saber. "¿Conoces a qué hora cierra?" is not Spanish.
- cierra · Verb:
- The verb of the indirect question, which as a whole is the object of sabes. It stays in the indicative: after saber, the clause is information. Cerrar changes e to ie in stressed syllables: cierro, cierras, cierra, but cerramos.
- No sé quién ha ganado.I don't know who has won.
- ¿Sabes la dirección del hotel?Do you know the hotel's address?
- Ya lo sé, no hace falta que me lo repitas.I know, you don't need to tell me again.
- Sabemos que el examen es el martes.We know the exam is on Tuesday.
- Que yo sepa, no ha llamado nadie.As far as I know, nobody has called.
Saber + infinitive: skills, and saber vs poder
Before an infinitive, saber means "know how to": a skill you have learnt and keep. "Sé nadar", "¿sabes conducir?", "no sabe cocinar". The infinitive follows directly, with no preposition and usually no cómo. "Sé cómo nadar" is understood, but it sounds like knowing the technique in theory; for a skill you have, the bare infinitive is the natural form. "Saber cómo" is right for knowing the way to do one particular thing: "no sé cómo abrir esta caja".
This is where English "can" causes trouble, because "can" covers both a learnt skill and the chance to use it. Spanish separates them. Saber is the skill. Poder is ability in the circumstances: whether you are free, allowed, well enough or physically able right now. "No sé nadar" means you never learnt; "no puedo nadar" means something is stopping you today, such as an injury, a closed pool or a red flag on the beach. Languages are a special case: "¿sabes alemán?" and "¿hablas alemán?" both ask whether you speak German, while "¿puedes hablar alemán?" asks whether you could speak it now, for example to help with a phone call.
, .
I know how to swim, but I can't today.
Select a word to see why it is there.
SéVerb“I know how”
- Why this word
- Present of saber, first person singular (irregular)
- Saber + infinitive is a learnt skill: I know how to swim. The yo form sé is irregular, and its written accent tells it apart from the pronoun se.
- Dictionary
- saber · verb — to know (a fact, information); to know how to
In this sentence
- Sé · Verb:
- Saber + infinitive is a learnt skill: I know how to swim. The yo form sé is irregular, and its written accent tells it apart from the pronoun se.
- puedo · Verb:
- Poder is ability in the circumstances: the skill is there, but today something prevents it, such as a cold or a closed pool. The infinitive nadar is understood from the first half and not repeated. "Hoy no sé" here would mean the skill had vanished overnight.
- Mi abuela no sabe usar el móvil.My grandmother doesn't know how to use a mobile phone.
- Con el brazo así, no puedo conducir.With my arm like this, I can't drive.
- ¿Sabes tocar algún instrumento?Can you play an instrument?
- ¿Puedes llevarme a la estación?Can you take me to the station? (A favour: poder.)
One regional use belongs here. In Andean Spanish and parts of Argentina, saber + infinitive can also mean "usually do": "sabe venir los domingos", he usually comes on Sundays. Elsewhere that sentence would be heard as "he knows how to come on Sundays", and the standard verb for habit is soler: "suele venir los domingos".
Conocer: people, places, works and things you have met
Conocer is the verb for acquaintance: something or someone you have come into contact with. With a person, it means you have met them and know who they are. With a place, it means you have been there: "¿conoces Granada?" asks whether you have visited it, not whether you know where it is. With a book, a film, a song, a restaurant or a brand, it means you are familiar with it, you have read it, seen it or tried it. Its objects are nouns and pronouns, never clauses: there is no "conozco que" and no "conozco dónde".
When the object is a specific person, Spanish puts the personal a in front of it: "conozco a tu jefa", "¿conoces a Lucía?". The a has no English equivalent and does not turn the person into an indirect object; it just marks a human direct object. It also appears with pets you treat as individuals ("conozco a tu perro") and with pronouns such as alguien and nadie ("no conozco a nadie aquí"). Places and things never take it: "conozco Lima", "conozco este bar". With a pronoun, conocer behaves like any transitive verb: "la conozco", "no lo conozco de nada" (I don't know him at all).
¿ ?
Do you know Pablo's girlfriend? (Have you met her?)
Select a word to see why it is there.
ConocesVerb“do you know”
- Why this word
- Present of conocer, second person singular (tú)
- Conocer, because the object is a person: the question is whether you have met her and would recognise her, not whether you know some fact about her. Saber never takes a person as its object.
- Dictionary
- conocer · verb — to know, be acquainted with (a person, place, thing); to meet
- Alternatives
- ¿Sabes quién es (do you know who she is? (you may never have met her))
In this sentence
- Conoces · Verb:
- Conocer, because the object is a person: the question is whether you have met her and would recognise her, not whether you know some fact about her. Saber never takes a person as its object.
- a · Preposition:
- The personal a: Spanish puts a before a direct object that is a specific person. It is not translated and does not make novia an indirect object. With a place or a thing it disappears: "¿conoces Lima?", "¿conoces este bar?".
Conocer also covers the moment acquaintance begins. In the infinitive and the future it is the natural verb for "meet" when you mean meeting someone new: "quiero conocer a tus padres", "mañana vas a conocer a mi jefe". For running into someone you already know, Spanish says encontrarse con; for a planned get-together, quedar or verse.
- No conozco a nadie en esta fiesta.I don't know anyone at this party.
- ¿Conoces algún restaurante bueno por aquí?Do you know a good restaurant round here?
- Conozco Buenos Aires, pero no he estado en Córdoba.I know Buenos Aires, but I haven't been to Córdoba.
- Conoce muy bien la obra de Lorca.She knows Lorca's work very well.
- Lo conozco de vista.I know him by sight.
In formal and written Spanish, conocer also takes some nouns of information: "conocer los resultados", "conocer los detalles", "dar a conocer la noticia" (to make the news known). In everyday speech those are saber: "¿sabes los resultados?". What conocer never does, in any register, is take a clause.
Conozco esta canción vs me sé esta canción
Some objects can take either verb, and the two sentences mean different things. A song is the clearest case. Both of the sentences below translate as "I already know this song", but a Spanish speaker hears two different claims.
.
I already know this song: I've heard it before and would recognise it.
Select a word to see why it is there.
conozcoVerb“I know”
- Why this word
- Present of conocer, first person singular (-zc-)
- Conocer with a song means familiarity: you have heard it and would recognise it on the radio. It says nothing about knowing the words. The yo form adds a z before the c: conozco.
- Dictionary
- conocer · verb — to know, be acquainted with; to meet
- Alternatives
- me sé (you know the words or how to play it)
In this sentence
- conozco · Verb:
- Conocer with a song means familiarity: you have heard it and would recognise it on the radio. It says nothing about knowing the words. The yo form adds a z before the c: conozco.
.
I already know this song: I know the words (or how to play it) by heart.
Select a word to see why it is there.
séVerb“I know”
- Why this word
- Present of saber, first person singular (irregular)
- Saber with a song means you have its content in your head: the words, the tune, the chords if you play it. That is learnt material, like a lesson or a phone number, so it takes saber.
- Dictionary
- saber · verb — to know (a fact, information); to know how to
- Alternatives
- conozco (you have only heard it before)
In this sentence
- sé · Verb:
- Saber with a song means you have its content in your head: the words, the tune, the chords if you play it. That is learnt material, like a lesson or a phone number, so it takes saber.
- me · Complement:
- Not "myself", and not translated: this me stresses that the knowledge is yours, fully taken in. Saberse with a text or a tune means knowing it thoroughly, by heart. "Ya sé esta canción" is also correct; the me is what speakers usually add.
The same test works on the other pairs. Ask whether you are claiming a piece of content you can reproduce (saber) or contact with the thing itself (conocer). Often saber takes a clause where conocer takes the noun, and the two sentences describe different gaps in what you know.
- No conozco el mar.I've never seen the sea. (No contact with it.)
- No sé dónde está el mar.I don't know where the sea is. (Missing information.)
- Conozco a Pedro.I know Pedro. (We have met.)
- Sé quién es Pedro.I know who Pedro is. (Someone pointed him out; we may never have spoken.)
- Conozco el camino.I know the route. (I've been along it, it's familiar.)
- Sé el camino.I know the way. (I can tell you how to get there.)
- Me conozco Madrid como la palma de la mano.I know Madrid like the back of my hand. (Conocerse: the same involved me, here with a place.)
Supe and conocí: the meaning change in the preterite
Both verbs describe a state, and the past tense you pick decides whether you mean the state or the moment it began. The imperfect keeps the state: sabía is "I knew", conocía is "I knew, I was acquainted with". The preterite picks out the start of the state, and English needs a different verb for it: supe is "I found out" or "I learnt", conocí is "I met" (for the first time). "Conocí Roma en 2019" means 2019 was your first visit.
Negative preterites follow the same logic. "No supe qué decir" means the right words never came to you at that moment: "I didn't know what to say". "No sabía qué decir" describes the state of not knowing that lasted through the scene. In Spain the present perfect does the same job for today's news: "lo he sabido esta mañana", I found out this morning.
, .
When I met Marta, I already knew her name.
Select a word to see why it is there.
conocíVerb“I met”
- Why this word
- Preterite of conocer, first person singular
- The preterite of conocer is the start of the acquaintance: the moment you met someone for the first time. That is why English switches to "met". "Cuando conocía a Marta" would describe a period when you were already acquainted.
- Dictionary
- conocer · verb — to know, be acquainted with; (preterite) to meet
In this sentence
- conocí · Verb:
- The preterite of conocer is the start of the acquaintance: the moment you met someone for the first time. That is why English switches to "met". "Cuando conocía a Marta" would describe a period when you were already acquainted.
- sabía · Verb:
- The imperfect of saber is knowledge as a state already in place: her name was something you knew before the meeting. "Supe su nombre" would be the moment you found it out, not something you brought to the meeting.
| Verb | Preterite | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| saber | supe: I found out, I learnt | sabía: I knew |
| conocer | conocí: I met (for the first time) | conocía: I knew, I was acquainted with |
| no saber | no supe: I didn't know (it didn't come to me then) | no sabía: I didn't know |
- ¿Cómo supiste que estaba aquí?How did you find out I was here?
- Nos conocimos en un curso de cocina.We met on a cooking course.
- Entonces no conocía a nadie en la ciudad.Back then I didn't know anyone in the city.
- Cuando lo supieron, se pusieron muy contentos.When they found out, they were delighted.
The full picture of how the preterite changes the meaning of state verbs (poder, querer, tener) is in the guide to the preterite and the imperfect.
Saber a, saber de, conocerse: the other uses
Saber has a second meaning that has nothing to do with knowledge: to taste. "Saber a" + a noun means "taste of": "esto sabe a limón". "Saber bien" and "saber mal" mean to taste good or bad. This is why "¿sabes a mi hermano?" is not just wrong but funny: it asks whether you taste of my brother. In Spain, "me sabe mal" also means "I feel bad about it": "me sabe mal no haberte llamado". "Saber a poco" means to leave you wanting more, and "saber a gloria" is to taste wonderful.
"Saber de" has two meanings. With a field, it means to know about something: "sabe mucho de vinos", "no sé nada de coches". With a person, it means to have news of them: "¿sabes algo de Ana?" asks whether you have heard from Ana lately, and "no sé nada de él desde junio" means I haven't heard from him since June. Neither takes conocer.
Conocer has its own small set. "Conocer de" + a context says where you know someone from: "la conozco del trabajo", "lo conozco de vista" (by sight). The reciprocal "conocerse" means to meet each other or to know each other: "nos conocimos en Lisboa", "¿os conocéis?". The reflexive "conocerse a uno mismo" is to know yourself. And, as with saberse, an added pronoun can stress thorough familiarity: "se conoce todos los atajos", she knows every short cut.
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| saber a | to taste of ("sabe a canela") |
| saber bien / mal | to taste good / bad |
| me sabe mal (Spain) | I feel bad about it, I regret it |
| saber de | to know about; to hear from |
| que yo sepa | as far as I know |
| a saber / vete a saber | who knows |
| no sé qué | something or other |
| conocer de vista | to know by sight |
| dar a conocer | to make known, to announce |
| conocerse | to meet; to know each other |
The irregular forms: sé, conozco, supe
Saber is irregular in the present yo form (sé), in the whole preterite (supe), in the future and conditional (sabré, sabría) and in the whole present subjunctive (sepa). Conocer is irregular in one place only: a z appears before the c wherever the c is followed by o or a, which gives conozco and the subjunctive conozca. Its preterite and imperfect are regular. Rioplatense voseo uses sabés and conocés for vos.
| Tense | saber | conocer |
|---|---|---|
| Present | sé, sabes, sabe, sabemos, sabéis, saben | conozco, conoces, conoce, conocemos, conocéis, conocen |
| Preterite | supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supisteis, supieron | conocí, conociste, conoció, conocimos, conocisteis, conocieron |
| Imperfect | sabía, sabías, sabía… | conocía, conocías, conocía… |
| Future | sabré, sabrás, sabrá… | conoceré, conocerás, conocerá… |
| Present subjunctive | sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan | conozca, conozcas, conozca, conozcamos, conozcáis, conozcan |
Mind the accent on sé. Without it, se is the reflexive or object pronoun ("se lo dije"). With it, sé is either "I know" or the tú imperative of ser ("sé bueno", be good); context always tells those two apart.
Common mistakes
NotNo conozco dónde está la estación.
ButNo sé dónde está la estación.
A clause with a question word, que or si always takes saber. Conocer only takes nouns and pronouns.
Not¿Sabes a mi hermano?
But¿Conoces a mi hermano?
A person you have met takes conocer. "Saber a" means "taste of", so the wrong version asks whether you taste of my brother.
NotConozco tu profesora.
ButConozco a tu profesora.
A specific person as direct object takes the personal a. Without it, the sentence sounds like you are talking about a thing.
NotNo puedo nadar; nunca aprendí.
ButNo sé nadar; nunca aprendí.
A skill you never learnt is saber. "No puedo nadar" means something stops you right now, such as an injury or a closed pool.
NotConocía a mi mejor amiga en 2015.
ButConocí a mi mejor amiga en 2015.
Meeting someone for the first time is the preterite, conocí. With a year, conocía would only say that in 2015 you already knew her, not that this is when you met.
NotNo se qué decir.
ButNo sé qué decir.
"I know" is sé, with an accent. Without it, se is a pronoun, and the sentence has no verb of knowing in it.
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Check yourself
1 / 10
I can't remember where I left the keys. Which verb fills the gap?
No ___ dónde dejé las llaves.
Answer
conozco: Conocer cannot take a clause. It would need a noun: "no conozco este barrio".
sabo: Sabo does not exist. The yo form of saber is irregular: sé.
sé ✓: Right. "Dónde dejé las llaves" is a clause with a question word, a piece of information, so it takes saber.
2 / 10
How do you ask "Do you know my cousin Elena?"
Answer
¿Conoces mi prima Elena?: The verb is right, but a specific person as direct object needs the personal a: "a mi prima".
¿Conoces a mi prima Elena? ✓: Right. A person takes conocer, and as a specific person and direct object she takes the personal a.
¿Sabes a mi prima Elena?: Saber does not take a person. With a, it means "taste of", so this asks whether you taste of Elena.
3 / 10
Your daughter has learnt to ride a bike. Which sentence says so?
Answer
Mi hija ya puede montar en bici.: Puede says she is now able or allowed to: the cast is off, or you have said yes. It does not say she has learnt.
Mi hija ya sabe montar en bici. ✓: Right. A learnt skill is saber + infinitive.
Mi hija ya conoce montar en bici.: Conocer never takes an infinitive. Skills are saber.
4 / 10
How do you say "I met your parents last night"?
Answer
Anoche conocí tus padres.: The tense is right, but people as direct object need the personal a: "a tus padres".
Anoche supe a tus padres.: Supe means "I found out", and saber does not take a person.
Anoche conocía a tus padres.: Conocía describes an acquaintance already in place. With anoche, a single moment, the first meeting needs the preterite.
Anoche conocí a tus padres. ✓: Right. The preterite of conocer is the first meeting, and your parents take the personal a.
5 / 10
Someone asks you the time and you have no idea. Which reply is written correctly?
Answer
No lo se.: Without the accent, se is a pronoun. "I know" is always sé.
No lo sé. ✓: Right. Lo stands for the information asked for, before the verb, and sé carries its accent.
No sé lo.: An object pronoun goes before a conjugated verb: "no lo sé", not after it.
6 / 10
How do you say "This soup tastes of garlic"?
Answer
Esta sopa sabe ajo.: Without a, ajo becomes the direct object, as if the soup knew garlic.
Esta sopa sabe de ajo.: Saber de means "know about": the soup would be an expert on garlic.
Esta sopa sabe a ajo. ✓: Right. Saber a + a noun is "taste of".
7 / 10
Build the sentence: we don't know whether she arrives today.
“We don't know if she arrives today.”
Answer
No sabemos si llega hoy
Saber + si + indicative is the indirect form of a yes-or-no question. Conocer could not take this clause.
8 / 10
Build the sentence: I want to meet your family.
“I want to meet your family.”
Answer
Quiero conocer a tu familia
Meeting people for the first time is conocer, and people as direct object take the personal a.
9 / 10
Fill the gap with the present of saber or conocer (tú). You are asking whether your friend has ever been to Valencia.
¿Tú ___ Valencia?
Answer
conoces / conocés
Having been to a place is conocer, with no personal a because Valencia is a place. "¿Sabes dónde está Valencia?" would ask only for its location. Conocés is the vos form.
10 / 10
Fill the gap with the preterite of saber (yo). "I found out from a friend."
Lo ___ por un amigo.
Answer
supe
The preterite of saber is the moment the knowledge began: supe, "I found out". Sabía would mean you already knew. "Me enteré" says the same thing as supe.
Saber and conocer in Epsylo
Every Spanish sentence you translate or break down in Epsylo shows saber and conocer as words of their own, with what they take: the clause or infinitive after saber, the person, place or thing after conocer, and the personal a as a separate word with its own card. Select the verb to see why that one was chosen and what the other would have meant.
Questions
- What is the difference between saber and conocer?
- Saber is knowing information: a fact, an answer, a clause with que, a question word or si, and, with an infinitive, how to do something. Conocer is being acquainted with someone or something: a person (with the personal a), a place you have been, a book or a song you have come across. "Sé dónde vive" is I know where he lives; "lo conozco" is I know him.
- Is it "sé nadar" or "puedo nadar"?
- Both exist and mean different things. "Sé nadar" says you have the skill. "Puedo nadar" says nothing stops you right now: you are well, the pool is open, you are allowed. To ask whether someone can swim at all, use saber: "¿sabes nadar?".
- Why does "conocí" mean "I met"?
- Conocer describes a state, being acquainted with someone, and the preterite picks out the moment that state began: the first meeting. The same happens with saber, where supe means "I found out". The imperfects, conocía and sabía, keep the plain meaning: I knew.
- How do you say "I know" on its own in Spanish?
- "Lo sé" or "ya lo sé", where lo stands for the fact just mentioned. "Lo conozco" is not a reply to news: it means "I know him" or "I know it", about a person or a thing you have come across.
- Do you say "saber" or "conocer" for a language?
- For speaking a language, "saber" or "hablar": "¿sabes francés?", "¿hablas francés?". "Conocer el francés" is possible in formal style for familiarity with the language, but it is not how people ask whether you speak it.
- Does saber also mean "to taste"?
- Yes. "Saber a" means "taste of" ("sabe a chocolate"), and "saber bien" or "saber mal" means to taste good or bad. In Spain, "me sabe mal" also means "I feel bad about it".
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