Saber vs Conocer
In English both saber and conocer translate as "to know," but they serve different functions: saber deals with knowledge of facts, skills, or information, while conocer relates to familiarity with people, places, or things.
Saber
Use saber when talking about knowing facts, how to do something, or when you can point to specific information like time, place, or details.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 📖 Yo sé la respuesta del ejercicio. | I know the answer to the exercise. |
| 🗺️ Ella sabe dónde está la biblioteca. | She knows where the library is. |
| ⏰ ¿Sabes a qué hora empieza la clase? | Do you know what time the class starts? |
| 🧑🏫 El profesor sabe muy bien el tema. | The teacher knows the topic very well. |
Expressions
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Saber de memoria | To know by heart |
| 🕵️ Saber quién/qué/cuándo | To find out who/what/when |
| ⚠️ Saberlo de antemano | To know it beforehand |
| 💡 Saber cómo | To know how |
Conocer
Use conocer to express familiarity or acquaintance with people, places, or things; it often implies experiential knowledge rather than abstract fact.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 👋 Conozco a muchos estudiantes en mi clase. | I know many students in my class. |
| 🏫 ¿Conoces la biblioteca nueva? | Do you know the new library? |
| 🎨 Ella conoce bien el museo del campus. | She knows the campus museum well. |
| 🌳 Conocimos un parque muy bonito cerca de la universidad. | We got to know a very beautiful park near the university. |
Expressions
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧑 Conocer a alguien | To meet someone / To know someone |
| 🌍 Conocer un lugar | To know a place |
| 🎉 Conocerse | To get to know each other |
| 📝 Dar a conocer | To make known / To publish |
Summary
Remember: use saber for factual knowledge or skills and conocer for being familiar with someone or something; switching them changes the meaning or sounds unnatural.
Quick Reference
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| saber | to know (a fact, how to) |
| conocer | to know (be familiar with) |
| saber que... | to know that... |
| saber cómo... | to know how to... |
| conocer a (persona) | to know/meet (a person) |
| conocer un lugar | to be familiar with a place |
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025