Inklingo

How to Say "know" in Spanish

English → Spanish

conozcan

/ko-NOS-kan//koˈnoθkan/

verbB1general
Use 'conozcan' when expressing a desire, doubt, or command for someone to meet or become acquainted with a person, place, or thing.
Two people shaking hands warmly in a sunny park, representing the act of getting to know one another.

Examples

Espero que conozcas a mi hermana pronto.

I hope you meet my sister soon.

Quiero que ustedes conozcan a mi mejor amigo.

I want you all to meet my best friend.

Es importante que ellos conozcan las reglas del juego.

It is important that they know the rules of the game.

¡Conozcan la ciudad con nuestro tour gratuito!

Get to know the city with our free tour!

Why the 'Z'?

In Spanish, when verbs like 'conocer' end in -cer, we add a 'z' before the 'a' to keep the soft 's' or 'th' sound. Without it, the word would sound like 'conoc-an' with a hard 'k' sound.

Two Main Uses

Use 'conozcan' when expressing a wish about someone knowing/meeting someone, or when telling a group of people to 'get to know' something.

Conozcan vs. Conocen

Mistake: “Saying 'Quiero que ellos conocen' instead of 'conozcan'.”

Correction: Use 'conozcan' after words like 'quiero que' or 'espero que' because you are talking about a wish, not a guaranteed fact.

reconocer

/reh-koh-neh-SEHR//re.ko.neˈθeɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'reconocer' to mean identifying someone or something based on prior knowledge, such as recognizing a face, voice, or familiar object.
A woman smiling brightly in surprise and happiness as she recognizes an old friend walking past her on a sunny street.

Examples

La policía reconoció al sospechoso en las cámaras de seguridad.

The police recognized the suspect on the security cameras.

No te reconocí con el pelo corto.

I didn't recognize you with short hair.

¿Reconoces esta canción? Es muy vieja.

Do you recognize this song? It's very old.

El perro reconoció el olor de su dueño inmediatamente.

The dog recognized its owner's scent immediately.

The 'Yo' Form Exception

In the present tense, the 'yo' form changes its ending from 'c' to 'zc' (reconocer → reconozco). This is a common pattern for verbs ending in -cer or -cir when a vowel precedes the 'c'.

Using the regular form

Mistake: “Yo reconoco mi error.”

Correction: Yo reconozco mi error. (The 'z' is needed to keep the correct sound before the 'o'.)

Meeting vs. Identifying

Learners often confuse 'conozcan' (to meet/get acquainted) with 'reconocer' (to recognize/identify). Remember: 'conozcan' is for introduction, while 'reconocer' is for identification based on memory.

Related Translations

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