supiste

Supiste is the second-person singular form of the Spanish verb saber in the preterite indicative. It translates to “you knew” or “you found out” in English, depending on context. Saber is irregular in the preterite; the full set is supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supisteis, supieron.

Usage and meaning: The preterite expresses a completed past action. Supiste commonly conveys that, at a specific past moment, you learned or discovered something. It contrasts with sabías, the imperfect form that describes habitual or background knowledge in the past, and with sabes, the present form that expresses current knowledge. Interrogative uses are common, as in ¿Supiste…? or ¿Supiste que…?

Examples: “¿Supiste que cerraron la tienda?” (Did you find out that the store closed?) “Ayer supe la verdad.” (Yesterday I learned the truth.) “¿Tú supiste lo que pasó?” (Did you know what happened?)

Etymology and regional variation: Saber comes from Latin sapere, meaning to know or be wise. The preterite forms reflect historical changes in Spanish. In Spain, the second-person plural form is supisteis, used with vosotros; in many Latin American dialects, vosotros is uncommon and ustedes supieron is used for the third-person plural you all. The tú form supiste remains standard across dialects.

Overall, supiste is a key preterite form in conversations about past discoveries or moments of learning, and it contrasts with other tenses that describe knowledge in different times.