supo
SOO-poh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella supo la noticia por la radio esta mañana.
A2She found out the news on the radio this morning.
Él supo manejar la situación con mucha calma.
B1He managed to handle the situation very calmly.
Usted supo la respuesta correcta después de pensarlo un rato.
B1You (formal) figured out the correct answer after thinking about it for a while.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Snapshot' Past Tense
This form, 'supo,' uses the past tense for completed actions (the preterite). It describes a single moment when the knowledge arrived, like taking a snapshot of a discovery.
Irregularity Alert
'Supo' comes from the verb 'saber,' but it completely changes its stem (the beginning part) to 'sup-' in this tense. You just have to memorize this pattern!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect Meaning
Mistake: "Using 'supo' when you mean 'Ella ya tenía ese conocimiento' (She already had that knowledge)."
Correction: Use 'sabía' (imperfect) for existing knowledge: 'Ella sabía dónde estaba la llave' (She knew where the key was). Use 'supo' for the moment she found it out: 'Ella supo dónde estaba la llave' (She found out where the key was).
⭐ Usage Tips
Think 'Found Out'
When you see or use 'supo,' usually the best English translation is 'found out' or 'learned' rather than simply 'knew,' which helps capture the sense of a sudden event.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: supo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'supo' to mean 'found out'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'supo' different from 'sabía'?
'Supo' (preterite) is used when the knowledge arrived at a specific point in the past—it means 'found out' or 'realized.' 'Sabía' (imperfect) is used when the person already possessed the knowledge over a period of time—it means 'already knew' or 'had the skill.'
Does 'supo' ever mean 'knew how to'?
Yes! When 'supo' is followed by another verb (like 'supo hablar'), it often means 'managed to' or 'succeeded in' doing something, emphasizing the successful completion of the action.