If you want to translate the verb "to know"
into Spanish, you have two verbs to choose from: saber and conocer. Both mean
“to know” in English but they are not interchangeable. Knowing which verb to
use depends on the context.
Rules,
Uses & Examples
Conocer
We use the verb "conocer" in the following
situations:
- to express familiarity with a person, place, or object:
Conozco muy
bien esta calle. (I know this street very well.)
¿Conoces a
mi primo? (Do you know my cousin?)
Nos conocemos desde
siempre. (We have known each other forever.)
Conoce la
arquitectura francesa. (She is familiar with French arquitecture.)
Saber
We use the verb "saber" in the following
situations:
- to express knowledge, or lack thereof, of information about something
No sé donde está. (I
don't know where it is.)
Sabe la
verdad. (He knows the truth.)
¿Sabes cuántas
estrellas hay en el cielo? (Do you know how many stars are in the sky?)
Sé que
no quieres ir a la fiesta. (I know that you don't want to go to the party.)
- to express knowledge, or lack thereof, of how to do something or perform a skill (saber + infinitive)
Sabe encontrar
buenos precios. (He knows how find good prices.)
No sabe bailar bien. (He
does not know how to dance well.)
Sé cocinar como un
chef. (I know how to cook like a chef.)
No sabemos llegar
a la casa de Pedro. (We don't know how to get to Pedro’s house.)
- to express that one knows, or doesn't know, something thoroughly
Sabe todas
las reglas de ser y estar. (He knows all of the rules for ser and estar.)
Sé todo
el alfabeto en español. (I know the whole alphabet in Spanish.)
via enforex.com
