conociera
ko-no-SYE-ra
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Si yo conociera la respuesta, te la diría inmediatamente.
B1If I knew the answer, I would tell you immediately.
Ella dudaba que él conociera el camino a casa.
B2She doubted that he knew the way home.
Me encantaría que mi perro conociera a tu gato, creo que se llevarían bien.
B2I would love it if my dog met your cat, I think they would get along well.
💡 Grammar Points
The Hypothetical Past
The form 'conociera' is used when talking about a hypothetical situation that is contrary to fact or unlikely, especially when paired with the conditional tense ('diría'). This is the 'If I knew, I would say' structure.
Subjunctive Trigger
You must use 'conociera' (the imperfect subjunctive) when the main part of the sentence expresses doubt, emotion, or desire in the past, or if the main action happened in the past (e.g., 'Dudé que él conociera la ciudad').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Indicative in 'If' Clauses
Mistake: "Si conocí la respuesta, te la diría."
Correction: Si conociera la respuesta, te la diría. (The structure 'Si + imperfect subjunctive' is required for hypothetical scenarios.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Two Forms of Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive has two forms: 'conociera' and 'conociese.' They mean exactly the same thing. 'Conociera' is generally more common in spoken Latin American Spanish.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
subjunctive
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: conociera
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'conociera' to express a past doubt?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'conociera' and 'supiera'?
'Conociera' (from *conocer*) is used for knowing people, places, or being familiar with something (knowledge by acquaintance). 'Supiera' (from *saber*) is used for knowing facts, information, skills, or how to do something (knowledge by information).
Why does the verb 'conocer' have the 'c' change to 'zc' in some tenses but not in 'conociera'?
The 'c' changes to 'zc' only in the present tense forms where the verb is followed by an 'o' or an 'a' (like 'conozco' or 'conozca') to maintain a specific sound. 'Conociera' is formed using the regular stem of the preterite tense ('conoc-'), so the sound change is not needed.