Sabcon
Sabcon
Sabcon
In Spanish, there are two verbs that express the idea “to know.” These two verbs are
“saber” and “conocer.” The verb you choose depends upon the context in which it is used.
These verbs are not interchangeable.
To say that one is or is not acquainted with a person, a place, or an object, use conocer.
Yo no conozco a María ...................................... I don’t know (am not acquainted with) Maria.
Alberto y Alfredo conocen Madrid ..................... Alberto and Alfredo know
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(are acquainted with) Madrid.
The situation with regards to the correct use of saber and conocer can be summarized as
follows:
saber: to know a fact, to know something thoroughly, to know how to do something
The same sort of situation exists with respect to the two Spanish verbs pedir and
preguntar. They both mean “to ask” but they are not interchangeable. Fortunately, the
rules for using them are a bit more straightforward:
pedir: to ask for, or request an object, service or favor
Pido más carne ........ I ask for more meat.
Pedimos ahora ......... We order now (ask for service).
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Your verb flashcards should be your constant companions. You should always have them
with you, and you should pull them out several times each day, even if you only look at
them for a couple of minutes. Now, let’s add these two verbs to our growing stack:
Verb Flashcards
36. Saber vs Conocer
saber: to know (facts, information, how to do something, something by heart)
conocer: to know (to be familiar with people, places, things)
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