# Saber vs conocer: two kinds of knowing

> id: contrast.saber-conocer · category: contrast · depth: standard · levels: A2 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Saber = facts and skills (sé la respuesta, sé nadar); conocer = familiarity with people, places, works (conozco a Marta, conozco Tarija).

Spanish has two verbs for 'to know'. Saber is for facts, information, and learned skills: sé la respuesta, sé que viene, sé dónde queda, and with an infinitive sé nadar ('I know how to swim'). Conocer is for familiarity — being acquainted with people, places, and works: conozco a Marta, conozco Tarija, ¿conocés esa novela?

A useful test: if you could answer with a piece of information, it's saber; if you'd answer with an introduction or a visit, it's conocer. Conocer takes the personal a with people (conozco a tu hermano) and doesn't take que + clause — that's saber's job.

In the preterite both shift to a sudden event: supe = 'I found out' (lo supe ayer) and conocí = 'I met for the first time' (la conocí en 2020). So sabía 'I knew' vs supe 'I found out'; conocía 'I was familiar with' vs conocí 'I met'.

## Examples
- ¿Sabés a qué hora abren? — No, pero conozco al dueño. — Do you know what time they open? — No, but I know the owner.
- Conocí Asunción el año pasado. — I visited Asunción for the first time last year.
- Conozco la ciudad, pero no sé llegar a esa dirección. — I know the city, but I don't know how to get to that address.

Related: contrast.conocer-encontrar-conocerse, usage.ability-poder-saber

License: CC BY-SA 4.0 — Spanish Rules Library — spanishruleslibrary.com