A colorful storybook illustration showing a small child standing at a fork in a winding road. Both paths disappear into a gentle white mist, symbolizing doubt or uncertainty about which way to proceed.

sepa

SEH-pah

Verb FormB1irregular er

I know (in doubt/wish)?Present Subjunctive, 1st person singular,he/she/it knows (in doubt/wish)?Present Subjunctive, 3rd person singular,you know (formal, in doubt/wish)?Present Subjunctive, formal singular,don't know?Formal negative command (e.g., No sepa)

Also:may know?Expressing possibility or hope

Quick Reference

infinitivesaber

gerundsabiendo

past Participlesabido

📝 In Action

Espero que mi jefe no sepa que llegué tarde.

I hope my boss doesn't know that I arrived late.

Quiero que sepa la verdad antes de irse.

I want him/her/you (formal) to know the truth before leaving.

Tal vez sepa la respuesta, pero no está seguro.

Maybe he knows the answer, but he isn't sure. (Subjunctive used after 'tal vez' expressing doubt)

Señor, no sepa nada de lo que pasó ayer.

Sir, do not know anything about what happened yesterday. (Negative command, very formal/dramatic context)

Word Connections

Synonyms

conozca ((that I/he/she) know (a person/place))

Common Collocations

que yo sepa – as far as I know
Dios sepa – God knows

💡 Grammar Points

When to Use 'sepa'

'Sepa' is the special form (subjunctive) of 'saber' that you must use after words that express doubt, desire, emotion, or when giving a formal negative command.

Irregularity Tip

Most of the special forms (subjunctive) for 'saber' start with 'sep-' (sepa, sepas, sepamos), making them easy to spot once you learn the pattern.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Normal Form Incorrectly

Mistake: "Dudo que él sabe la respuesta."

Correction: Dudo que él sepa la respuesta. (The word 'dudo' (I doubt) forces the special verb form 'sepa' in the second part of the sentence.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Commands

To tell a person you address as 'usted' (formally) 'Don't know X,' you use 'No sepa X.' This is much more formal than simply saying 'No sabe X' (which means 'You don't know X').

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sepa

Question 1 of 2

Which of these sentences correctly uses 'sepa' to express doubt?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

saber(to know (facts or skills)) - verb

sabiduría(wisdom) - noun

sabio(wise) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'sepa' sound so different from 'sé' (I know)?

'Saber' is a highly irregular verb. Its 'normal' forms (like sé, sabes) have one root, but its special forms (subjunctive, like sepa, sepas) use a completely different, older root (the 'sep-' sound) that comes from the same Latin origin. You just have to memorize that 'sé' is the exception, and 'sepa' is the pattern for wishes and doubts.

When is 'sepa' a command?

'Sepa' is a command only when used formally (addressing someone as 'usted'). '¡Sepa la diferencia!' means 'Know the difference!' (affirmative formal command). If you say 'No sepa,' it is the negative formal command, meaning 'Do not know.' This usage is less common than the affirmative command.