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A colorful storybook illustration showing a young person with an expression of sudden realization. A bright, glowing yellow lightbulb is floating directly above their head, signifying the moment knowledge was acquired.

supiste

soo-PEES-teh

verbA2irregular er
you found out?The specific moment knowledge was acquired.,you learned?Acquired information or a skill suddenly.
Also:you knew?Often implies a sudden realization or realization that knowledge was possessed.

Quick Reference

infinitivesaber
gerundsabiendo
past Participlesabido

📝 In Action

¿Cuándo supiste la verdad sobre el proyecto?

A2

When did you find out the truth about the project?

Finalmente supiste cómo arreglarlo, ¿no?

B1

You finally figured out how to fix it, didn't you?

Si supiste de ese problema, ¿por qué no dijiste nada?

B1

If you knew about that problem (when it happened), why didn't you say anything?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • enteraste (you found out)
  • descubriste (you discovered)

Common Collocations

  • supiste la respuesta – you found out the answer
  • supiste cómo hacerlo – you figured out how to do it

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Tú' Form

This word is used when speaking informally to one person you know well (the 'tú' form). It means 'you' did the action.

Preterite Tense: Finding Out vs. Knowing

The past action 'supiste' (preterite) almost always means 'you found out' or 'you learned' at a specific moment. If you want to say 'you knew' over a long, undefined period, you must use the imperfect tense: 'sabías'.

Irregular Verb Stem

The verb 'saber' is irregular in this past tense. Its stem changes completely from 'sab-' to 'sup-'. You just have to memorize this change!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong past tense

Mistake: "¿Sabías cuándo llegó?"

Correction: ¿Supiste cuándo llegó? (Did you find out when he arrived?) The action of finding out is a single, completed event.

Confusing 'saber' and 'conocer'

Mistake: "¿Supiste a María?"

Correction: ¿Conociste a María? ('Saber' is for facts/skills; 'conocer' is for people, places, or being familiar with something.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on the Moment

Use 'supiste' when the knowledge was acquired in a flash, like the moment you opened an envelope or heard a piece of news.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedsabe
yosé
túsabes
ellos/ellas/ustedessaben
nosotrossabemos
vosotrossabéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsabía
yosabía
túsabías
ellos/ellas/ustedessabían
nosotrossabíamos
vosotrossabíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedsupo
yosupe
túsupiste
ellos/ellas/ustedessupieron
nosotrossupimos
vosotrossupisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedsepa
yosepa
túsepas
ellos/ellas/ustedessepan
nosotrossepamos
vosotrossepáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsupiera/supiese
yosupiera/supiese
túsupieras/supieses
ellos/ellas/ustedessupieran/supiesen
nosotrossupiéramos/supiésemos
vosotrossupierais/supieseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: supiste

Question 1 of 2

Which English phrase best captures the meaning of 'supiste'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'supiste' so irregular?

Many of the most common Spanish verbs, like 'saber' (to know), 'tener' (to have), and 'estar' (to be), have special, irregular forms in the preterite tense. 'Supiste' is one of these; it doesn't follow the normal pattern for '-er' verbs.

Is 'saber' the same as 'conocer'?

No. 'Saber' is used for facts, information, and skills (like 'I know how to swim'). 'Conocer' is used for being familiar with people, places, or things (like 'I know Paris').