Coneguts

Coneguts is a Catalan word whose primary role is as the plural form of the adjective conegut, meaning known or familiar. In standard usage, conegut describes something that is not new or unfamiliar. The plural form coneguts can also function as a noun in colloquial Catalan to refer to people one knows, i.e., acquaintances or friends.

Etymology and forms: Conegut derives from the verb conèixer (to know), with the past participle congè? The correct modern forms are conegut (masculine singular), coneguda (feminine singular), coneguts (masculine plural), and conegudes (feminine plural). As a noun, the masculine plural coneguts is common, while the feminine plural would be conegudes, used when referring to a group of female acquaintances.

Usage: The adjective is widely used across registers. Examples include “un fet conegut” (a well-known fact) and “tinc molts coneguts” (I have many acquaintances). When used as a noun, it often appears with a possessive to denote a person one knows, for example “un conegut meu” (a familiar/ acquaintance of mine). The noun usage is informal and more typical in conversational Catalan; in formal writing, it is clearer to use “un conegut” in that sense rather than treating coneguts strictly as a noun.

See also: Conèixer, conegut, coneguda. This term sits within general Catalan vocabulary for knowledge and familiarity and is related to discussions of how adjectives convert to noun usage in everyday speech.