sabe
“sabe” means “knows” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
knows
Also: can
📝 In Action
Él sabe la capital de Francia.
A1He knows the capital of France.
Mi hermana sabe hablar tres idiomas.
A2My sister knows how to speak three languages.
¿Usted sabe dónde está la estación?
A1Do you (formal) know where the station is?
tastes like
Also: tastes of
📝 In Action
Este pastel sabe a limón.
A2This cake tastes like lemon.
La carne no sabe a nada.
B1The meat doesn't taste like anything.
¡Qué rico sabe esto!
B1This tastes so good!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: sabe
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'sabe' to talk about a flavor?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'sapere', which meant 'to have taste' or 'to be wise'. You can see how both Spanish meanings, 'to taste' and 'to know', grew from this one ancient root.
First recorded: 9th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'sabe' and 'conoce'?
Think of it this way: 'sabe' is for information you can learn from a book (facts, data, skills like swimming). 'Conoce' is for familiarity you get from experience (knowing a person, being familiar with a city, having seen a movie).
I've heard people say '¿sabes?'. Is that related to 'sabe'?
Yes! 'Sabes' is the 'tú' (you, informal) form of the same verb, 'saber'. People often add it to the end of sentences, like saying 'you know?' in English, to check if the other person is following along.
Why is the 'yo' form 'sé' and not 'sabo'?
Good question! 'Saber' is an irregular verb, which means its forms don't always follow the standard pattern. The 'yo' form in the present tense is one of its special changes, so it's 'sé'. You just have to memorize that one!