Commonly confused

Saber vs Conocer: two ways to "know" in Spanish

English has one word for "to know" — Spanish has two. Saber is for knowing facts, information, and how to do things. Conocer is for knowing people, places, and things through personal acquaintance. Once you understand this distinction, the choice is almost always clear.

Key distinction

Saber = knowing facts or skills; conocer = being acquainted with people, places, or things.

Present tense — side by side

saber to know (facts)
yo sé
tú sabes
él/ella sabe
nosotros sabemos
vosotros sabéis
ellos/ellas saben
Full conjugation table →
conocer to know (people/places)
yo conozco
tú conoces
él/ella conoce
nosotros conocemos
vosotros conocéis
ellos/ellas conocen
Full conjugation table →

When to use saber

Knowing facts or information

  • Sé que mañana llueve. I know it's going to rain tomorrow.
  • ¿Sabes la respuesta? Do you know the answer?

Knowing how to do something (saber + infinitive)

  • Sé hablar español. I know how to speak Spanish.
  • ¿Sabes cocinar? Do you know how to cook?

Knowing something by heart (phone numbers, addresses, lyrics)

  • Sé su número de memoria. I know her number by heart.
  • Sé toda la letra de esa canción. I know all the lyrics to that song.

When to use conocer

Knowing / being acquainted with people

  • ¿Conoces a María? Do you know María?
  • Conozco bien a tu jefe. I know your boss well.

Being familiar with a place

  • Conozco Barcelona muy bien. I know Barcelona very well.
  • ¿Conoces este restaurante? Do you know this restaurant (have you been here)?

Being familiar with a thing (book, song, film)

  • ¿Conoces esa película? Do you know that film (have you seen it)?
  • Conozco bien su trabajo. I'm familiar with his work.

Common mistakes to avoid

✗ Sé a Juan. ✓ Conozco a Juan.

People are "known" through acquaintance — always use conocer for people (note the personal "a").

✗ Conozco cómo hacer esto. ✓ Sé cómo hacer esto.

Knowing how to do something is a skill or fact — use saber.

✗ Conozco que está enfermo. ✓ Sé que está enfermo.

Facts introduced by "que" (that) always take saber.

Memory trick

Saber sounds like "savvy" — knowing information. Conocer comes from "cognizant" — being personally acquainted. If you've met the person or been to the place, use conocer.

The personal "a" is your clue

When conocer is followed by a person, Spanish requires the personal a: Conozco a tu madre. If you find yourself writing saber a [person], that's a red flag — switch to conocer.

Saber + infinitive = can

One of the most useful patterns in Spanish: saber + infinitive expresses ability. ¿Sabes nadar? means "Can you swim?" (do you know how to). This is different from poder, which expresses being physically able or having permission — see our poder vs saber guide for the full comparison.

Preterite changes meaning

Both verbs shift meaning in the preterite: supe means "I found out" (not just "I knew"), and conocí means "I met" (not just "I knew"). Supe la verdad ayer = I found out the truth yesterday. La conocí en Madrid = I met her in Madrid.

Stop second-guessing — practise with a tutor

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More commonly confused verbs

ser vs estar Ser describes what something fundamentally IS; estar describes how something IS right now. Read guide → pedir vs preguntar Preguntar = to ask a question; pedir = to ask for / request something. Read guide → llevar vs traer Llevar = moving something away from the reference point; traer = moving something toward the reference point. Read guide → ir vs venir Ir = moving away from where you are; venir = moving toward where the speaker or listener currently is. Read guide →
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