saber & conocer

Question

what is the difference between ''saber'' and ''conocer'' ?

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please fill out your profile. Also, please remember to capitalize the beginning of your sentence. - rac1, Apr 11, 2014

Answer 1

Check this out ... saber vs conocer

amazing - 00b055e0, Apr 11, 2014

You're doing a great job Kiwi, sigue asi! - rodneyp, Apr 11, 2014

Great stuff Kiwi :) - ian-hill, Apr 11, 2014

Aw thanks guys :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 11, 2014

Answer 2

Hello Mayaar

Generally speaking, but with some exceptions of course, the verb saber is usually used to mean to know a fact/to know about something; whereas the verb conocer is usually used to mean to know a person or a place.

Examples of use of the verb saber

1.¿Sabes lo que me dijo? = Do you know what he said to me?

2.¡No supé qué decir! = I didn't know what to say!

Examples above courtesy of Oxford Spanish Dictionary.(4th edn)

Saber can also mean: to know how to do something:

1.Sabe nadar = He can swim (ie: he knows how to swim)

2.¿Sabes conducir? = Can you drive? (ie: Do you know how to drive?

Examples of the use of conocer:

1.Conozco bien Londres = I know London well.

2.Disculpa señor ¿conoce a un buen médico por aquí, por favor? = Excuse me sir, do you know a good doctor, around here, please?

(You could also ask, Could you recommend a good doctor around here? However, I am giving examples of the use of conocer.)

Conocer can also be used to mean to meet somoone for the first time!

Ex: Se conocieron en Paris = They met in Paris. (for the first time)

Please take a look at Kiwi's great link and You can also find more information abou the differences in our excellent grammar section. Here is a direcct link! enter link description here

Editor's note/s: Please note that, unless otherwise stated in my posts, all examples are my own.

I hope this helps you

Corrijan mi español, por favor

They met in Paris: Se conocieron en Paris. - juanmelgar, Apr 11, 2014

Muchas gracias, Juan, por la correción :) Se me olvido que es el verbo conocerSE - FELIZ77, Apr 11, 2014

Answer 3

Kiwi has already given u the link to a beautiful video on this subject so nothing left for me to say .. but I will give u an example : conoces el monasterio de Montserrat.. this just means are u familiar (do u know abot) the monastery of Montserrat ? So here we cant use Saber as there is no knowledge u need to have about the Monastery .. and then ,, I can say .. Sabes que quien había construido el monasterio de montserrat? .. now here we are asking ., do u know (do u have the knowledge of) who built it ,, so Saber has to be used .. Entiendes o no ?