poznavati

Poznavati is a verb used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Slovenian, meaning to know, to be familiar with, or to recognize. It is generally imperfective, describing ongoing familiarity or the process of getting to know something or someone. The perfective counterpart is typically poznati, which conveys the sense of becoming acquainted or recognizing a person or thing as a completed act.

Etymologically, poznavati derives from a Proto-Slavic root pozn- related to znati (to know), with the prefix po- shaping the verb’s imperfective aspect. The term is closely related to znati but carries a nuance of familiarity or experiential knowledge rather than bare factual knowledge. The noun form poznavanje denotes knowledge, familiarity, or expertise, while the reflexive poznavati se refers to mutual recognition or knowing one another.

Usage notes: poznavati governs direct objects such as people, places, or topics—poznavati nekoga (to know someone), poznavati grad (to be familiar with the city), poznavati temu (to know a subject). In everyday language, it contrasts with znati, which often covers factual knowledge or information. Poznavati can express long-term acquaintance or experiential knowledge, and poznavati se indicates mutual recognition between people. Related verbs include upoznati (to meet or introduce) and znati (to know), which differ in nuance and aspect.