Meaning and Usage
The verb kennen in German means "to know" specifically in the context of being familiar with people, places, or things. It is used when you have personal experience or acquaintance with something or someone, rather than knowing a fact or information, which would use wissen. For example, "Ich kenne diesen Mann" means "I know this man" because you recognize or are familiar with him.
Verb Type and Conjugation
Kennen is an irregular verb and its stem changes slightly in the present tense for some pronouns. It is important to learn the specific conjugation forms to use the verb correctly in sentences. Below is the conjugation in the present tense along with examples for each pronoun.
Present Tense Conjugation
| German Pronoun | German Conjugation | English Conjugation | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | kenne | I know | Ich kenne Berlin gut. | I know Berlin well. |
| du | kennst | you know (singular) | Kennst du diesen Film? | Do you know this movie? |
| er / sie / es | kennt | he / she / it knows | Er kennt meine Schwester. | He knows my sister. |
| wir | kennen | we know | Wir kennen das Museum. | We know the museum. |
| ihr | kennt | you know (plural) | Kennt ihr die Stadt? | Do you (plural) know the city? |
| sie / Sie | kennen | they / you (formal) know | Sie kennen den Weg zum Bahnhof. | They know the way to the station. |
Common Phrases with Kennen
You will often see kennen in everyday conversations such as asking if someone is familiar with a person or place:
- Kennst du Anna? — "Do you know Anna?"
- Ich kenne das Restaurant. — "I know the restaurant."
- Wir kennen uns seit Jahren. — "We have known each other for years."
Understanding and using kennen properly will help you express familiarity and personal knowledge in German effectively.
