Inklingo

How to Say "i knew" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “i knew” is “conocía” — use 'conocía' when referring to a past state of familiarity or acquaintance with people, places, or things..

English → Spanish

conocía

VerbA2General
Use 'conocía' when referring to a past state of familiarity or acquaintance with people, places, or things.

Examples

Yo no conocía a nadie en la fiesta.

I didn't know anyone at the party.

supe

SOO-peh/ˈsu.pe/

VerbA2General
Use 'supe' to express that you found out, learned, or realized something at a particular point in the past.
A simple storybook character with wide eyes, looking surprised, as a glowing lightbulb suddenly appears and illuminates brightly above their head, symbolizing a sudden discovery or realization.

Examples

Supe la verdad ayer durante la reunión.

I found out the truth yesterday during the meeting.

Cuando supe que te ibas, me puse triste.

When I learned/found out you were leaving, I got sad.

Intenté arreglar el coche, pero no supe cómo.

I tried to fix the car, but I didn't know how (or couldn't figure out how).

Supe vs. Sabía

This word ('supe') is the simple past, used to talk about the moment you gained knowledge. If you want to talk about knowledge you possessed over a period of time in the past, use the imperfect form: 'Sabía que venías' (I knew you were coming).

Irregular Preterite

The verb 'saber' is highly irregular in the simple past, using the stem 'sup-'. This pattern is shared with a few other common verbs, like 'tener' (tuve) and 'estar' (estuve).

Knowing vs. Finding Out

Mistake: “Using 'sabía' when meaning a sudden realization: 'Sabía la fecha ayer.' (I knew the date yesterday).”

Correction: Use 'supe' to emphasize discovery: 'Supe la fecha ayer.' (I found out the date yesterday). 'Sabía' means you possessed the knowledge beforehand.

Conocía vs. Supe

The most common mistake is using 'conocía' when you mean to say you found something out. Remember, 'conocía' implies a state of knowing over time, while 'supe' indicates the moment you came to know something.

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