The verb kennen is used when you know someone or something by experience or acquaintance. It is different from wissen , which means to know a fact. For example, you use kennen to say, "I know this city," or "I know her."
Usage
Use kennen when you are familiar or acquainted with someone or something.
- Ich kenne Maria. (I know Maria.)
- Kennst du Berlin? (Do you know Berlin?)
- Wir kennen das Restaurant. (We know the restaurant.)
Conjugation
Here is the conjugation of kennen in the present and simple past (Präteritum), along with the past participle used for the perfect tense.
Present Tense
| Person | German (kennen) | English (to know) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | ich kenne | I know |
| du | du kennst | you know |
| er/sie/es | er/sie/es kennt | he/she/it knows |
| wir | wir kennen | we know |
| ihr | ihr kennt | you all know |
| sie/Sie | sie/Sie kennen | they/you know |
Simple Past (Präteritum)
| Person | German (kennen) | English (to know) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | ich kannte | I knew |
| du | du kanntest | you knew |
| er/sie/es | er/sie/es kannte | he/she/it knew |
| wir | wir kannten | we knew |
| ihr | ihr kanntet | you all knew |
| sie/Sie | sie/Sie kannten | they/you knew |
Past Participle
The past participle of kennen is gekannt .
Perfect Tense Example
German: Ich habe Maria gekannt.
English: I have known Maria.
Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)
The subjunctive form of kennen can be used to express hypothetical situations or polite wishes.
- Ich würde sie kennen. (I would know her.)
- Wenn ich dich kennen würde… (If I knew you…)
Conjugation
| Person | German (Subjunctive II) | English (to know) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | ich kennte | I would know |
| du | du kenntest | you would know |
| er/sie/es | er/sie/es kennte | he/she/it would know |
| wir | wir kennten | we would know |
| ihr | ihr kenntet | you all would know |
| sie/Sie | sie/Sie kennten | they/you would know |
Modal Extensions
You can combine kennen with modal verbs to modify its meaning.
Common Combinations
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich kann Maria nicht kennen. | I cannot know Maria. |
| Wir wollen die Stadt kennen lernen. | We want to get to know the city. |
| Du musst deine Nachbarn kennen. | You must know your neighbors. |
Common Phrases
Here are some common phrases and expressions that use kennen .
| German Phrase | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Kennst du mich? | Do you know me? |
| Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus. | I’m not familiar around here. |
| Wir kennen uns schon lange. | We have known each other for a long time. |
| Kennst du das Gefühl? | Do you know the feeling? |
I’m not familiar around here.
Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus.
"Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus" is a set phrase meaning lack of familiarity.
Do you know me?
Kennst du mich?
"Kennst du mich?" uses the correct form of kennen for "du."
Comparison with "wissen"
- kennen = to be familiar with people, places, or things (acquaintance)
- wissen = to know facts or information
| Usage | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| kennen | Ich kenne den Mann. | I know the man. (I am familiar with him.) |
| wissen | Ich weiß, wo der Mann ist. | I know where the man is. (I have the information.) |
Summary
- Use kennen for familiarity or acquaintance.
- It is irregular in the simple past (e.g., ich kannte).
- Its past participle is gekannt .
- Distinguish between kennen (being acquainted) and wissen (knowing facts).
Flashcards (1 of 27)
- Person: ich
- English (to know): I know
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
