Sabem

Sabem is a Portuguese verb form that appears in the present indicative tense. It is the third-person plural form of saber, meaning “they know,” and is also used as the second-person plural form in Brazilian Portuguese when paired with the pronoun vocês, as in “vocês sabem.” The form agrees with the subjects eles, elas, or vocês.

Etymology and grammar: Saber, from Latin sapere, denotes knowledge, information, or the ability to do something. In the present tense, sabem is used to express knowledge of facts, information, or how to perform a task. It is commonly combined with question words (o que, quem, onde, como) or infinitive clauses to convey what is known or can be done: eles sabem a resposta; vocês sabem onde fica a biblioteca; eles sabem falar inglês.

Usage and nuance: Saber covers cognitive knowledge (fatos, dados) and skills (proteção de habilidades). It is distinct from conhecer, which expresses familiarity with people, places, or works. For example, saber pode indicar capacidade (“sabem falar espanhol”) rather than mere acquaintance. Saber also appears in fixed expressions and constructions such as “quem sabe” (who knows).

Examples:

- Eles sabem a resposta.

- Vocês sabem onde fica a estação?

- Eles sabem falar francês.

In summary, sabem is the plural present form of saber, used to state that a group knows a fact or can perform a skill, and it is a central verb in expressing knowledge in Portuguese.