conocer
“conocer” means “to know” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to know
Also: to be acquainted with, to be familiar with
📝 In Action
¿Conoces a mi amiga, Sofía?
A1Do you know my friend, Sofía?
Conozco muy bien el centro de la ciudad.
A2I know the city center very well.
Ella conoce la historia del arte como nadie.
B1She is familiar with art history like no one else.
to meet
Also: to get to know
📝 In Action
Mucho gusto en conocerte.
A1It's a pleasure to meet you.
Conocí a mi mejor amigo en la escuela.
A2I met my best friend at school.
Nos conocimos en una fiesta hace dos años.
A2We met at a party two years ago.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: conocer
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I met my wife in Cuba'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'cognōscere', which meant 'to get to know' or 'to recognize'. It's built from 'co-' (together) and 'gnōscere' (to know).
First recorded: Around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest difference between 'conocer' and 'saber'?
The simplest way to remember is: use 'conocer' for people, places, and things you are familiar with (think: nouns). Use 'saber' for facts, information, and skills (think: how-to, or information that can start with 'that', 'what', 'when'). 'Conozco a Juan' (I know Juan). 'Sé que Juan es alto' (I know that Juan is tall).
Why is it 'conozco' and not 'conozo'?
It's an irregularity to keep the sound right! The original 'c' in 'conocer' makes a soft 's' sound before an 'e' or 'i'. To keep that same sound before the 'o' in the 'yo' form, Spanish inserts a 'z', giving us 'conozco'. You'll see this 'zc' pattern in other verbs like 'parecer' (parezco) and 'agradecer' (agradezco).
How do I say 'getting to know' someone?
You can use 'conocer' for this too, often in a progressive form. For example, 'Estamos conociéndonos' means 'We are getting to know each other.' You can also say 'Quiero conocerte mejor,' which means 'I want to get to know you better.'