weten

Weten is a Dutch verb meaning "to know" in the sense of having knowledge, information, or awareness. It is used for factual knowledge, knowing how to do something, or being aware of a situation. It contrasts with kennen, which expresses familiarity or acquaintance with people, places, or things rather than factual knowledge.

Conjugation and core forms: In the present tense the forms are ik weet, jij weet, hij weet, wij weten, jullie weten, zij weten. In the past tense the forms are ik wist, jij wist, hij wist, wij wisten, jullie wisten, zij wisten. The past participle is geweten, and it is used with hebben to form perfect tenses, for example: ik heb het geweten. The verb is commonly followed by a subordinate clause with dat or a question word: ik weet dat hij komt; weet je wie het is?

Usage notes: Weten is used with facts, information, or knowledge that can be verified, such as "Ik weet het antwoord" or "Weet jij waar het station is?" It can also take a question word (wie, wat, waarom, hoe) or a clause introduced by dat. Weten can be combined with voor, over, or van to indicate knowledge about a topic or subject, for example, "Ik weet niets van wiskunde" or "Ik weet iets van de geschiedenis." Negation is formed with niet: "Ik weet het niet." The verb kennt nuance with "van": "Ik weet van hem" means I know of him or I know about him.

Etymology and cognates: Weten comes from Proto-Germanic *witaną and is cognate with German wissen and the English root behind wit and wisdom. The word geweten, written the same as the past participle, also means conscience, which can cause occasional ambiguity without context.