Spanish has two verbs that mean to know: saber and conocer. They cannot be used interchangeably. Note the irregular yo forms. Saber means to know facts or information; to know how to do something. Conocer means to know a person; to be acquainted with a place.

All forms of Conocer: (To know a person, place or thing)

• Yo - conozco (c has k sound only in yo form)

• Tú - conoces

• Él/Ella/Usted - conoce

• Nosotros/Nosotras - conocemos

• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes - conocen

All forms of Saber: (To know facts or information; to know how to do something)

• Yo - sé

• Tú - sabes

• Él/Ella/Usted sabe

• Nosotros/Nosotras sabemos

• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes saben

Saber means to know a fact or piece(s) of information or to know how to do something.

No sé tu número de teléfono - I don’t know your telephone number

Mi hermana sabe hablar francés -My sister knows how to speak French.

Conocer means to know or be familiar/acquainted with a noun (Person, place, or thing)

¿Conoces la ciudad de Nueve York? - Do you know New York City?

No conozco a tu amigo Esteban. - I don know your friend Esteban.

When the direct object of conocer is a person or pet, the personal a is used.

¿Conoces La Habana? - Do you know Havana?

¿Conoces a Celia Cruz? - Do you know Celia Cruz?

¡Atención! Paracer (to seem) and ofrecer (to offer) are conjugated like conocer. All other forms are regular, it is just the yo form that is irregular.

¡Atención! Conducir (to drive) and traducir (to translate) also have an irregular yo form, but since they are -ir verbs, they are conjugated differently from conocer.

All forms of conucir:

• Yo - conduzco

• Tú - conduces

• Él/Ella/Usted - conduce

• Nosotros/Nosotras - conducimos

• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes - conducen

All forms of traducir:

• Yo - traduzco

• Tú - traduces

• Él/Ella/Usted - traduce

• Nosotros/Nosotras - traducimos

• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes - traducen