I know/ be
I notice the translator has difficulty differentiating between sé (I know) and sé (Imperative 2nd person to be). Is there any easy way to tell the difference other than by context?
4 Answers
I think that, ultimately, context is key.
They are spelled the same, sound the same...but the context will tell you every thing.
"Sé" (I know) will be followed by "que" most (but not all) of the time, whereas I cannot think of any example where "sé" (be) will be followed by "que".
Sé que mamá no le gusta la carne de vaca. I know mom does not like beef.
¡Sé simpático! Be nice!
Also, if you see "yo" before "sé", it will definitely have to be the "I know" form (present tense, indicative mood of the verb "saber" - to know).
Yo sé que eres triste. I know you're sad.
Magic eight ball maybe? If they are spelled and pronounced the same how would you know which is which unless they were in context?
It might not have to be much context (say, if a pronoun were attached to it, for example, it would have to be the command). [even though I can't envision such a situation]
If the subject pronoun yo preceded it, it would have to be the 1st person, singular, present tense of the indicative mood.
Magic eight ball maybe? I
What is an eight ball? 
It's a toy that looks like an oversized 8 ball used in pool. You "ask" a question and look in a window in the ball for the "answer" - a sort of fortune-telling game. Example: Will I be fluent in Spanish by the end of the month? See the answer below!
