conocías
ko-no-SEE-as
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Tú conocías a mi primo Juan?
A2Did you know my cousin Juan (back then)?
Cuando vivías aquí, ¿conocías bien la ciudad?
B1When you lived here, were you familiar with the city?
Antes de este viaje, ¿conocías la cultura local?
B1Before this trip, did you know (or were you familiar with) the local culture?
💡 Grammar Points
The Imperfect Tense
This form tells us about something that was ongoing, repeated, or habitual in the past, or describes a past state. It sets the scene for a past event.
Conocer vs. Saber in the Past
We use conocías (from conocer) for knowing people, places, or things. We use sabías (from saber) for knowing facts, skills, or specific pieces of information.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: "¿Tú conociste a mi primo?"
Correction: ¿Tú conocías a mi primo? (if asking about general past familiarity). If you use *conociste* (preterite), it changes meaning to 'Did you meet my cousin?' (a single event).
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Duration
Use conocías when the knowledge or familiarity lasted for a period of time, not just a single moment.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: conocías
Question 1 of 1
Which English phrase best captures the meaning of 'conocías'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'conocías' the same as 'sabías'?
No. 'Conocías' means 'you knew/were familiar with' a person, place, or thing. 'Sabías' means 'you knew' a fact, piece of information, or how to do something.
Why does 'conocías' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'i' (conocías) is essential to show that the stress falls on that syllable, which is the standard pattern for all *er* and *ir* verbs in the Imperfect Tense.