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Two smiling children stand happily beside a familiar brown dog, gently petting its head, illustrating that they are acquainted with the animal.

conocen

koh-NOH-sen

verbA1irregular er
they know?meaning they are familiar with a person, place, or thing,you all know?used for the formal plural 'ustedes' in Latin America or Spain
Also:they are acquainted with?referring to people,they meet?in the sense of meeting for the first time (preterite tense is more common for a single event)

Quick Reference

infinitiveconocer
gerundconociendo
past Participleconocido

📝 In Action

Ellos conocen bien la ciudad de Madrid.

A1

They know the city of Madrid well.

Mis padres no conocen a mi nuevo jefe.

A2

My parents don't know my new boss.

¿Ustedes conocen el camino a la playa?

A2

Do you all know the way to the beach?

Las personas que conocen la verdad no hablan.

B1

The people who know the truth are not talking.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • saben (they know (facts/skills))
  • identifican (they identify)

Antonyms

  • ignoran (they ignore)
  • desconocen (they are unfamiliar with)

Common Collocations

  • conocen el área – they know the area
  • conocen la historia – they are familiar with the history

💡 Grammar Points

Who Does the Action?

"Conocen" is always used when the people doing the knowing are 'ellos' (they, masculine/mixed group), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all, formal or common in Latin America).

Use the 'a' for People

When 'conocen' is followed by a person or pet, you must insert the little word 'a': 'Ellos conocen a mi hermana' (They know my sister).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Conocer vs. Saber

Mistake: "Using 'saben' when talking about familiarity with a person or place (e.g., *Ellos saben a María*)."

Correction: Use 'conocen' for people, places, or being acquainted with something. Use 'saben' only for facts, information, or skills. Correct: 'Ellos conocen a María'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on Familiarity

Think of 'conocen' as meaning 'they are familiar with' or 'they are acquainted with.' If you can replace 'know' with 'familiar,' use 'conocen.'

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedconoce
yoconozco
túconoces
ellos/ellas/ustedesconocen
nosotrosconocemos
vosotrosconocéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedconocía
yoconocía
túconocías
ellos/ellas/ustedesconocían
nosotrosconocíamos
vosotrosconocíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedconoció
yoconocí
túconociste
ellos/ellas/ustedesconocieron
nosotrosconocimos
vosotrosconocisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedconozca
yoconozca
túconozcas
ellos/ellas/ustedesconozcan
nosotrosconozcamos
vosotrosconozcáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedconociera
yoconociera
túconocieras
ellos/ellas/ustedesconocieran
nosotrosconociéramos
vosotrosconocierais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: conocen

Question 1 of 2

Which English sentence is the best translation for: 'Mis tíos conocen bien la zona.'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the 'yo' form of conocer (conozco) have a 'z' but 'conocen' doesn't?

This is a common irregularity in Spanish verbs ending in -cer or -cir. The 'z' is added only in the 'yo' form of the present tense (conozco) and throughout the subjunctive mood (conozca, conozcan) to keep a consistent 's' sound that was historically present in the verb's root.

How do I say 'You all know' if I'm speaking to friends in Spain?

In informal situations in Spain, you should use the 'vosotros' form: 'conocéis'. 'Conocen' is reserved for formal 'ustedes' or for Latin America.