conocer
/koh-noh-SEHR/
to know
This image illustrates the meaning 'to know' or 'to be familiar with' a person, place, or thing.
conocer(Verb)
to know
?being familiar with a person, place, or thing
to be acquainted with
?a slightly more formal way of saying you know someone
,to be familiar with
?knowing about a subject or work of art
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The Personal 'a'
When you talk about knowing a person or a pet, you must put the little word 'a' right after 'conocer'. For example, say 'Conozco a Juan', but just 'Conozco París'.
Irregular 'yo' Form: conozco
Watch out for the present tense! The 'yo' form is special: 'yo conozco'. This 'zc' spelling also shows up in other important forms, like when you're making polite requests.
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Conocer' vs. 'Saber'
Mistake: "Yo sé Madrid."
Correction: Use 'conocer' for people, places, and things you're familiar with ('Conozco Madrid'). Use 'saber' for facts, information, or skills ('Sé que Madrid es la capital').
⭐ Usage Tips
Think 'Familiarity'
A great mental shortcut: if you could say 'I'm familiar with...' or 'I'm acquainted with...' in English, you almost always want to use 'conocer' in Spanish.
This image illustrates the meaning 'to meet' someone for the first time.
conocer(Verb)
to meet
?meeting someone for the first time
to get to know
?over a period of time
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Meeting' Tense
This 'to meet' meaning is most often used in a specific past tense (the preterite). 'Conocí' means 'I met', while 'Conocía' means 'I knew'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Meeting vs. Meeting Up
Mistake: "Conocí a mis amigos para cenar."
Correction: For 'meeting up' with people you already know, use verbs like 'reunirse' or 'encontrarse con'. For example, 'Me reuní con mis amigos para cenar.' 'Conocer' is for the very first time.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Common Greeting
When you're introduced to someone, saying 'Mucho gusto en conocerte' or just 'Mucho gusto' is the perfect, friendly response. It's the Spanish equivalent of 'Nice to meet you'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: conocer
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I met my wife in Cuba'?
📚 More Resources
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.'