conocer Present Conjugation
conocer — to know
The present tense of conocer is irregular only in the 'yo' form: conozco.
conocer Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present to talk about people you are currently acquainted with, places you are familiar with, or things you have knowledge of.
Notes on conocer in the Present
It features a 'z' in the first-person singular (yo conozco) to maintain the soft 'c' sound. All other forms are regular.
Example Sentences
Yo no conozco a ese hombre.
I don't know that man.
yo
¿Conoces un buen restaurante por aquí?
Do you know a good restaurant around here?
tú
Mi hermana conoce muy bien la ciudad.
My sister knows the city very well.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros conocemos a los vecinos.
We know the neighbors.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'yo conco' or 'yo conoco'.
Correct: The correct form is 'yo conozco'.
Why: Verbs ending in -cer often add a 'z' before the 'c' in the yo form to preserve the pronunciation.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: conocí
In the preterite, conocer changes meaning from 'to know' to 'to meet' someone for the first time.
Imperfect
yo: conocía
The imperfect of conocer (conocía) describes ongoing familiarity or 'knowing' someone in the past.
Future
yo: conoceré
The future tense of conocer is regular: conoceré, conocerás, conocerá, etc.
Conditional
yo: conocería
The conditional form of conocer expresses what you 'would know' or 'would meet' under certain conditions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: conozca
The present subjunctive uses the 'conozc-' stem for all forms.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: conociera
The imperfect subjunctive of conocer (conociera) is used for past doubts or 'if' scenarios.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: conoce
The imperative of conocer is used to tell someone to 'get to know' or 'meet' someone.
Negative Imperative
yo: no conozcas
Negative commands for conocer always use the 'zc' stem (no conozcas).