In German, there are two verbs that both translate to "to know" in English: wissen and kennen. Although they can seem similar, they are used in different contexts, and choosing the wrong one can lead to confusion. Here’s a clear breakdown of how to use each verb correctly.
Usage Rules
. Wissen — to know a fact or piece of information
- Wissen is used when you know something factual, can answer a question, or have knowledge that can be expressed in a complete sentence.
- It can also be used with subordinate clauses (e.g., Ich weiß, dass...).
- Wissen is irregular in the present tense and takes the special form weiß for “ich,” “er,” “sie,” and “es.”
- It is often followed by dass (that), ob (whether), warum (why), or question words, and sometimes by an um...zu or a W- question in embedded clauses.
Examples:
- Ich weiß die Antwort. — I know the answer.
- Weißt du, wo er wohnt? — Do you know where he lives?
- Wir wissen nicht, wann der Zug kommt. — We don’t know when the train arrives.
. Kennen — to know, to be familiar with a person, place, or thing
- Kennen is used for familiarity or acquaintance with someone or something.
- It means you have personal experience with a person, place, or object — you “know” them in the sense of being acquainted.
- Kennen is a regular verb and is used only with direct objects (without prepositions).
- You can think of kennen as similar to English “to be familiar with” or “to have met/seen.”
Examples:
- Ich kenne Maria. — I know Maria (I have met her).
- Kennst du Berlin? — Are you familiar with Berlin?
- Kennst du dieses Buch? — Do you know this book?
Which sentence correctly uses wissen?
Ich weiß, wo du wohnst.
'Ich weiß, wo du wohnst.' is correct because wissen is used with subordinate clauses to convey knowledge of information.
Summary
Here’s a simple summary:
| Wissen | Kennen |
|---|---|
| To know a fact or piece of information | To know/be familiar with a person, place, or thing |
| Can be used with subordinate clauses | Used with direct objects (no prepositions) |
| Often translated as “to know” in the intellectual or factual sense | Often translated as “to be familiar with” or “to know” someone/something personally |
| Ich weiß, dass... / Ich weiß, wie... | Ich kenne Maria / Ich kenne Hamburg |
Tips for Choosing
- Ask yourself: “Is this about knowing a fact, a piece of information, or how to do something?” → Use wissen.
- Ask yourself: “Is this about knowing, having met, or being familiar with a person, place, or thing?” → Use kennen.
- If you can complete the sentence with a subordinate clause (dass, wo, wie), you need wissen.
- If you are simply naming an object, person, or place that you are familiar with, you need kennen.
- Remember that wissen is about intellectual knowledge and kennen is about personal acquaintance.
Always consider context carefully, and when in doubt, think about whether the sentence refers to a fact (wissen) or a familiar person/thing (kennen).
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
