Zorg SpaceWhat is the difference between saber and conocer in Spanish?
Short answer
Both mean “to know”, but they divide the idea in two. Use saber for facts and information — Sé que vive en Lima (I know that she lives in Lima) — and for knowing how to do something: Sé nadar (I can swim). Use conocer for being familiar with people, places and things through experience: Conozco a María, Conozco Madrid, Conozco esta canción.
A simple test: if you could say “know that…“, “know how to…” or “know where/when/why…“, it is saber. If you could say “be acquainted with” or “have been to“, it is conocer.
Saber: facts, information, skills
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Sé la respuesta.
I know the answer.
a fact
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¿Sabes dónde está la farmacia?
Do you know where the pharmacy is?
information
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No sé si viene.
I don’t know if he’s coming.
-
Sabe hablar tres idiomas.
She can speak three languages.
a skill: saber + infinitive
For skills, saber + infinitive is how Spanish says “can” in the sense of “know how to”: ¿Sabes conducir? — Can you drive?
Conocer: people, places, things you are familiar with
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Conozco a tu hermano.
I know your brother.
a person — note the “a”
-
¿Conoces Barcelona?
Have you been to Barcelona? / Do you know Barcelona?
a place
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No conozco este restaurante.
I don’t know this restaurant.
familiarity
-
Conoce muy bien la obra de Frida Kahlo.
She knows Frida Kahlo’s work very well.
deep familiarity
With people, conocer takes the “personal a”: Conozco a Ana.
Forms to watch
Both are irregular in the first person singular of the present:
| saber | conocer | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | sé | conozco |
| tú | sabes | conoces |
| él / ella / usted | sabe | conoce |
| nosotros | sabemos | conocemos |
| ellos / ustedes | saben | conocen |
Sé (I know) carries an accent to distinguish it from se (the pronoun).
Meaning changes in the past
In the preterite, both verbs describe the moment knowledge began:
-
Conocí a Pedro en 2020.
I met Pedro in 2020.
conocer in the preterite = to meet for the first time
-
Conocía a Pedro desde hacía años.
I had known Pedro for years.
imperfect = an existing state
-
Ayer supe la noticia.
I found out the news yesterday.
saber in the preterite = to find out
-
Sabía la noticia.
I knew the news.
imperfect = a state
Saber can also mean “to taste”
Esta sopa sabe a ajo — this soup tastes of garlic. Sabe bien — it tastes good.
Common mistakes
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Not: Sé a María.
Better: Conozco a María.
-
Not: Conozco nadar.
Better: Sé nadar.
-
Not: ¿Sabes Madrid?
Better: ¿Conoces Madrid?
-
Not: Conozco que tienes razón.
Better: Sé que tienes razón.
-
Not: Yo sabo la respuesta.
Better: Yo sé la respuesta.
Everyday phrases with each verb
Many common expressions are built on these two verbs; learning them as wholes makes the difference automatic:
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No sé.
I don’t know.
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Ya lo sé.
I know (already).
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¿Sabes qué?
You know what?
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Que yo sepa, no.
Not as far as I know.
-
¿Conoces a alguien que hable alemán?
Do you know anyone who speaks German?
-
Encantado de conocerte. / Encantada de conocerte.
Nice to meet you.
conocer = meet for the first time
-
Me gustaría conocer Japón.
I’d like to visit / get to know Japan.
The same split in other languages
Many languages divide “know” the same way: French savoir / connaître, German wissen / kennen, Dutch weten / kennen, Italian sapere / conoscere. If you know one of these pairs, you already know how Spanish works.
In short
- saber: facts, information, that / where / if…, and saber + infinitive for skills.
- conocer: familiarity with people (with a), places and things.
- In the preterite: conocí = I met; supe = I found out.
- Yo sé, yo conozco — both irregular.
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