conocer

Conocer is a Spanish verb that means to know in the sense of being familiar with a person, a place, or a thing, or to meet someone for the first time. It is used to express acquaintance, experience, or personal familiarity rather than factual knowledge. The verb is commonly contrasted with saber, which denotes knowing information, facts, or how to do something.

Conjugation: in the present indicative the form is irregular in the yo-person: conozco, conoces, conoce, conocemos, conocéis, conocen. Other forms: preterite conocí, conociste, conoció, conocimos, conocisteis, conocieron; imperfect conocía; future conoceré; conditional conocería. Subjunctive present conozca, conozcas, conozca, conozcamos, conozcáis, conozcan. The gerund is conociendo and the past participle is conocido.

Uses and examples: With people, the personal “a” is used: “Conozco a María.” With places or things, it expresses familiarity or experience: “Conozco Madrid” or “Conocimos la ciudad.” The sense of meeting someone for the first time is expressed with the preterite: “Conocí a tu hermano ayer.” “Conocer de” can mean to have heard of something, but “saber” is more common for factual information. Distinguish from saber, which denotes knowledge of facts, information, or how to do something; conocer emphasizes acquaintance and experience.

Etymology and usage notes: the verb derives from Latin cognoscere, and its meaning has broadened over time to include both personal acquaintance and experiential knowledge.