sabíamos
/sah-BEE-ah-mos/
we knew
Depicting a past state of knowing a fact: 'we knew' the answer.
sabíamos(Verb)
we knew
?past state of knowing a fact
we were aware
?past realization or consciousness
,we used to know
?habitual knowledge in the past
📝 In Action
Sabíamos que el tren llegaba tarde.
A1We knew that the train was arriving late.
¿Por qué no nos dijiste? ¡Sabíamos que algo andaba mal!
A2Why didn't you tell us? We knew something was wrong!
En ese momento, solo sabíamos la mitad de la historia.
B1At that moment, we only knew half the story.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'We' Form
This word is the 'nosotros' (we) form of the verb 'saber'.
Imperfect Tense for States
The imperfect tense (sabíamos) describes a continuous or habitual state in the past—the fact that 'we knew' was ongoing.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Saber vs. Conocer
Mistake: "Using 'conocíamos' for facts: 'Conocíamos que era tarde.'"
Correction: Use 'sabíamos' for facts, information, or things you can say out loud: 'Sabíamos que era tarde.' ('Conocer' is for people, places, or being familiar with something.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Use sabíamos (imperfect) when you mean 'we already knew' (a state). Use supimos (preterite) when you mean 'we found out' or 'we learned' (a sudden action).
Depicting a past ability or skill: 'we knew how to' do something.
sabíamos(Verb)
we knew how to
?past ability or skill
we were capable of
?describing a past skill set
📝 In Action
Cuando éramos jóvenes, sabíamos patinar sobre hielo.
A2When we were young, we knew how to ice skate.
Antes de la clase, no sabíamos usar este programa.
B1Before the class, we didn't know how to use this program.
Ellos nos enseñaron porque nosotros no sabíamos cocinar.
B2They taught us because we didn't know how to cook.
💡 Grammar Points
Implied 'How To'
When 'saber' is followed directly by another verb (infinitive), it automatically means 'to know how to' do that action. You don't need an extra word for 'how'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding 'Cómo'
Mistake: "Adding 'cómo' (how): 'Sabíamos cómo nadar.'"
Correction: The 'how' is built into the verb 'saber': 'Sabíamos nadar.' This is much more natural Spanish.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Past Skills
Use 'sabíamos' (imperfect) to describe skills we possessed over a period of time in the past. It emphasizes the continuous ability.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sabíamos
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'sabíamos' to describe a continuous state of knowledge?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'sabíamos' and 'supimos'?
'Sabíamos' (imperfect) means 'we knew' as an ongoing state or background fact in the past ('We always knew'). 'Supimos' (preterite) means 'we found out' or 'we learned' at a specific moment in the past ('We found out yesterday').
Is 'sabíamos' considered a regular or irregular conjugation?
The infinitive 'saber' is irregular in many tenses (like the Present and Preterite), but the Imperfect tense ('sabíamos') is actually formed regularly by adding the standard imperfect endings (-íamos) to the stem 'sab-'.