A child character looking happy as a glowing golden star, representing a piece of knowledge, settles into their mind.

saberlo

/sa-BER-lo/

VerbA2irregular er

to know it?referring to a fact or piece of information

Also:to know about it?referring to a situation or event,to find it out?often used this way in the past tense

Quick Reference

infinitivesaber

gerundsabiéndolo

past Participlesabido

📝 In Action

Es importante saberlo antes de tomar una decisión.

It's important to know it before making a decision.

No quería decírtelo, pero creo que deberías saberlo.

I didn't want to tell you, but I think you should know it.

¿Sabías que Ana se va a mudar? — Sí, acabo de saberlo.

Did you know Ana is moving? — Yes, I just found it out.

Prefiero no saberlo, por favor.

I prefer not to know it, please.

Word Connections

Antonyms

ignorarlo (to not know it / to be unaware of it)

Common Collocations

hacerlo saber – to let it be known
deberías saberlo – you should know it
sin saberlo – without knowing it

Idioms & Expressions

vete a saberlo – who knows / your guess is as good as mine

💡 Grammar Points

Two Words in One

'Saberlo' is a shortcut! It's the verb 'saber' (to know) and the word 'lo' (it) stuck together. You'll only see this form after another verb, like 'quiero saberlo' (I want to know it), or as a command.

Where Does the 'lo' Go?

When you change the verb tense (like 'I know' or 'he knew'), the 'lo' usually moves to the front and separates from the verb. So, 'saberlo' becomes 'lo sé' (I know it) or 'él lo supo' (he knew it).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Knowing Facts vs. Knowing People

Mistake: "Quiero *conocerlo*."

Correction: Quiero *saberlo*. Use 'saber' for facts, information, or skills. Use 'conocer' when you mean being familiar with people, places, or things.

⭐ Usage Tips

Finding Things Out

In the past tense, 'lo supe' often means 'I found it out' or 'I learned it,' suggesting the moment you received the information. 'Lo sabía' means 'I already knew it' over a period of time.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

yosé

túsabes

él/ella/ustedsabe

nosotrossabemos

vosotrossabéis

ellos/ellas/ustedessaben

preterite

yosupe

túsupiste

él/ella/ustedsupo

nosotrossupimos

vosotrossupisteis

ellos/ellas/ustedessupieron

imperfect

yosabía

túsabías

él/ella/ustedsabía

nosotrossabíamos

vosotrossabíais

ellos/ellas/ustedessabían

subjunctive

present

yosepa

túsepas

él/ella/ustedsepa

nosotrossepamos

vosotrossepáis

ellos/ellas/ustedessepan

imperfect

yosupiera

túsupieras

él/ella/ustedsupiera

nosotrossupiéramos

vosotrossupierais

ellos/ellas/ustedessupieran

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: saberlo

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly says 'I need to know it'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

saber(to know) - verb

sabiduría(wisdom) - noun

sabio(wise) - adjective

sabido(known) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it 'saberlo' but 'lo sé'? Why does the 'lo' move?

Great question! In Spanish, little words like 'lo' (it), 'me' (me), and 'te' (you) have special placement rules. They attach to the end of verbs in their basic form (like 'saber') or command forms. But when the verb is changed for a person (like 'sé' for 'I know'), the little word moves to the front.

Can I say 'Lo quiero saber' instead of 'Quiero saberlo'?

Yes, absolutely! Both are correct and mean 'I want to know it.' You have the choice to either attach 'lo' to the end of the second verb or put it before the first verb. Both are used very frequently.