the verb to know saber sapere savoir vs conocer conhecer conoscere connaitre

The Verb “to Know”: “Conocer” vs “Saber” in Spanish, “Conhecer” vs “Saber” in Portuguese, “Conoscere” vs “Sapere” in Italian, & “Connaître” vs “Savoir” in French

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In Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French, there are two verbs that mean “to know.” These verbs are: “saber” and “conocer” in Spanish, “saber” and “conhecer” in Portuguese, “sapere” and “conoscere” in Italian, and “savoir” and “connaître” in French.

Spanishsaberconocer
Portuguesesaberconhecer
Italiansapereconoscere
Frenchsavoirconnaître

Ah, two ever-confusing sets of verbs! Both translate to “to know” in English, but using the wrong one can leave your audience bewildered. Fear not, language enthusiast! This guide will demystify these verbs, empowering you to express knowledge with confidence.

When to use “Saber” vs “Conocer”, “Saber” vs “Conhecer”, “Sapere” vs “Conoscere”, & “Savoir” vs “Connaître”

Knowing when to use each verb should not be difficult if you understand the subtle difference between the two concepts of “knowing.”

In short, the first set of verbs: “saber,” “sapere,” and “savoir” are used to describe knowledge of facts, concepts, skills, abilities, etc.

On the other hand, the second set of verbs: “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” and “connaître”  are used to describe recognition or familiarity with a person, a place, or an object, including a movie, a site, a brand, etc.

In Italian and French, when referring to a language, one could use either verb. The difference is that “Conosco l’italiano” indicates that you know some Italian or that you are familiar with the language, whereas “So l’italiano” or “So parlare l’italiano” indicates that you know Italian well enough to speak it. Similarly, “Je connais le français” indicates that you know some French or that you are familiar with the language, whereas “Je sais le français” or “Je sais parler français” indicates that you know French well enough to speak it.

Examples of “Saber” vs “Conocer”, “Saber” vs “Conhecer”, “Sapere” vs “Conoscere”, & “Savoir” vs “Connaître”

Here are some examples that use the two verbs and highlight the difference:

 ExamplesExplanation
ENDo you know if there is someone inside?When referring to a fact
(whether someone is inside or not):
use “saber,” “sapere,” or “savoir.”
SP¿Sabes si hay alguien dentro?
PTVocê sabe se há alguém dentro?
ITSai se c’è qualcuno dentro?
FRSais-tu s’il y a quelqu’un à l’intérieur?
ENShe doesn’t know how to swim.When referring to a skill:
use “saber,” “sapere,” or “savoir.”
SPElla no sabe nadar.
PTEla não sabe nadar.
ITLei non sa nuotare.
FRElle ne sait pas nager.
ENI don’t know where there is a school.When referring to a fact
(whether a school exists nearby):
use “saber,” “sapere,” or “savoir.”
SPNo sé dónde hay una escuela.
PTNão sei onde há uma escola.
ITNon so dove ci sia una scuola.
FRJe ne sais pas où il y a une école.
ENI don’t know the city very well.When referring to recognizing a place:
use “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” or “connaître.”
SPNo conozco la ciudad muy bien.
PTNão conheço muito bem a cidade.
ITNon conosco molto bene la città.
FRJe ne connais pas très bien la ville.
ENThey don’t know my parents.When referring to recognizing a person:
use “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” or “connaître.”
SPNo conocen a mis padres.
PTNão conhecem meus pais.
ITNon conoscono i miei genitori.
FRIls ne connaissent pas mes parents.
ENDo you know that movie?When referring to recognizing a movie:
use “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” or “connaître.”
SP¿Conoces esa película?
PTConhece aquele filme?
ITConosci quel film?
FRConnaissez-vous ce film?
ENDo you know English?When referring to a language, in Spanish and Portuguese:
we use “saber,” “sapere,” or “savoir.”
In Italian and French, either verb can be used.
SP¿Sabes inglés?
PTSabe inglês?
ITConosci l’inglese? (or) Sai l’inglese?
FRConnaissez-vous l’anglais? (or) Savez-vous l’anglais?

Expressions that use “Saber,” “Sapere,” or “Savoir”

The verb “saber,” “sapere,” or “savoir” is used in many expressions, for example:

SPlo séI know¿quién sabe?who knows?
PTeu seiquem sabe?
ITlo sochissà?
FRje saisqui sait?
SPpara que lo sepasjust so you knowque yo sepa as far as I know
PTpara que saibaque eu saiba
ITperché lo sappiaper quanto ne so
FRpour que tu le sachesque je sache1

To know each other

The verb “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” or “connaître” is used to refer to the reciprocal act of knowing each other, for example:

SPNos conocemos muy bien.We know each other very well.
PTNos conhecemos muito bem.
ITCi conosciamo molto bene.
FRNous nous connaissons 2 très bien.
SPNo se conocen.They don’t know each other.
PTEles não se conhecem.
ITNon si conoscono.
FRIls ne se connaissent pas.

Referring to the Past

The verb “conocer,” “conhecer,” “conoscere,” or “connaître” can also mean “to meet” when referring to the past, for example:

SPConocí a mi esposa en la universidad.I met my wife at university.
PTConheci minha esposa na faculdade.
ITHo conosciuto mia moglie all’università.
FRJ’ai connu ma femme à l’université.

To learn more about the difference between the two verbs and for more examples, refer to the following lessons:

  1. The Verb “to Know” in Spanish: “Saber” & “Conocer”
  2. The Verb “to Know” in Portuguese: “Saber” & “Conhecer”
  3. The Verb “to Know” in Italian: “Sapere” & “Conoscere”
  4. The Verb “to Know” in French: “Savoir” & “Connaître”

Also Read: Getting to Know “Saber” and “Conocer” in Spanish

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