conhecestes

Conhecestes is a verb form from the Portuguese verb conhecer, used as the second-person plural pretérito perfeito simples. It corresponds to the pronoun vós and means that you all got to know or you all knew something in the past. In contemporary Portuguese, this form is largely archaic or literary; in Brazil it is uncommon and usually replaced by vocês conheceram, while in Portugal the singular tu conheceste is still found in some contexts, with vós rarely used outside historical or ceremonial registers.

Etymology and classification: conhecer comes from Latin cognoscere, and the form conhecestes reflects the historical second-person plural ending of the Portuguese preterite. The usage is tied to the pronoun vós, which has declined in everyday speech but persists in older literature, religious texts, and some regional varieties.

Usage and regional variation: today, con h e c e s t e s (vós conhecestes) appears mainly in classical literature, poetry, and formal or ceremonial language. In modern Brazilian Portuguese, speakers typically use vocês conheceram or tu conheceste for the singular informal, with vós rarely appearing. In European Portuguese, tu conheceste is common for the singular; vós forms may appear in formal or literary contexts.

Conjugation overview (preceding and following forms in the pretérito perfeito): eu conheci; tu conheceste; ele conheceu; nós conhecemos; vós conhecestes; eles conheceram. Example: Vós conhecestes muitos lugares ao longo da expedição.

See also: conhecer; cognoscere; history of Portuguese verb conjugation.