sabes

/SA-bess/

Illustration of a person with a glowing lightbulb over their head, symbolizing having knowledge or an idea.

Just like a lightbulb turning on, 'sabes' means you have a piece of information in your head.

sabes (Verb)

A1irregular er

you know?knowing a fact or piece of information

Also:do you know?when asking a question

📝 In Action

¿Sabes qué hora es?

Do you know what time it is?

Tú sabes la respuesta.

You know the answer.

No sabes cuánto me alegro de verte.

You don't know how happy I am to see you.

Related Words

Antonyms

ignorar (to not know, to be unaware of)
desconocer (to not know, to be ignorant of)

Common Collocations

que yo sepa – as far as I know
hacer saber – to let know, to inform

Idioms & Expressions

¿Sabes qué? – You know what? (Used to introduce a new idea or piece of news)
vete a saber – who knows, your guess is as good as mine

🔄 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 →

💡 Grammar Points

Saber vs. Conocer

Use 'saber' (like 'sabes') for facts and information. Use 'conocer' when you're talking about being familiar with a person, place, or thing. Think: 'saber' for 'what', 'conocer' for 'who' or 'where'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Knowing People

Mistake: "¿Sabes a mi amigo Juan?"

Correction: To ask if someone knows a person, use 'conocer'. The right way is: '¿Conoces a mi amigo Juan?'

⭐ Usage Tips

The Preterite 'supe'

In the past tense, 'supe' (the 'yo' form) often means 'I found out' or 'I learned', which is a bit different from just 'I knew'. For example, 'Ayer supe la verdad' means 'Yesterday I found out the truth'.

Illustration of a person juggling, representing the ability or skill to do something.

'Sabes' followed by another action (like 'sabes nadar') means you have the skill to do it.

sabes (Verb)

A2irregular er

you know how to?having a skill or ability

Also:you can?implying ability, e.g., 'Can you swim?'

📝 In Action

¿Sabes nadar?

Do you know how to swim?

Sabes hablar español muy bien.

You know how to speak Spanish very well.

Si no sabes qué hacer, pregunta.

If you don't know what to do, ask.

💡 Grammar Points

Saber + [Action Verb]

To say you know how to do something, just put 'saber' before the basic form of the action verb (like nadar, cocinar, hablar). No extra words needed!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Don't Add 'Cómo'

Mistake: "En inglés decimos 'know how to', pero en español no se necesita 'cómo' (how). Incorrecto: ¿Sabes cómo conducir? "

Correction: Correcto: ¿Sabes conducir? The verb 'saber' already includes the idea of 'how to'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sabes

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence is the correct way to ask if your friend knows how to play the guitar?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

saber(to know) - verb

sabiduría(wisdom) - noun

sabio(wise) - adjective

sabido(known) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the #1 rule for 'saber' vs. 'conocer'?

The simplest rule is: use 'saber' for facts ('I know WHAT') and skills ('I know HOW'). Use 'conocer' for people, places, and things you are familiar with ('I know OF him/it').

Why is the 'yo' (I) form 'sé' and not 'sabo'?

'Saber' is an irregular verb, which means some of its forms don't follow the standard rules. The 'yo' form in the present tense is one of these special cases you just have to memorize: 'yo sé'. It happens with a few other common verbs too!

Is 'sabes' formal or informal?

'Sabes' is the informal 'you' form, used with friends, family, and people your age (the 'tú' form). For a formal situation, like speaking to a respected elder or a boss, you would use 'sabe' (the 'usted' form).