Verb · irregular
conocer
to know a person or a place
The thing that catches people out
saber is knowing a fact; conocer is being familiar with a person or a place. Conozco Madrid, I know Madrid; sé dónde está, I know where it is. Only the yo form is irregular: conozco.
Present
What happens, and what is happening now.
| yo | conozco | |
| tú | conoces | |
| él, ella, usted | conoce | |
| nosotros | conocemos | |
| ellos, ustedes | conocen | |
| vosotros, Spain only | conocéis |
Preterite, the finished past
Something that happened and is over: yesterday, last year, once.
| yo | conocí | |
| tú | conociste | |
| él, ella, usted | conoció | |
| nosotros | conocimos | |
| ellos, ustedes | conocieron | |
| vosotros, Spain only | conocisteis |
Imperfect, the background past
What used to happen, or was going on when something else happened.
| yo | conocía | |
| tú | conocías | |
| él, ella, usted | conocía | |
| nosotros | conocíamos | |
| ellos, ustedes | conocían | |
| vosotros, Spain only | conocíais |
Future
Will do. In conversation, ir a plus the verb is more common: voy a comer.
| yo | conoceré | |
| tú | conocerás | |
| él, ella, usted | conocerá | |
| nosotros | conoceremos | |
| ellos, ustedes | conocerán | |
| vosotros, Spain only | conoceréis |
Present perfect
Have done. Used far more in Spain, where it covers today; most of Latin America uses the preterite there.
| yo | he conocido | |
| tú | has conocido | |
| él, ella, usted | ha conocido | |
| nosotros | hemos conocido | |
| ellos, ustedes | han conocido | |
| vosotros, Spain only | habéis conocido |
Other forms
The -ing form, the form that follows he, has and ha, and how to tell someone to do it.
| -ing form | conociendo | |
| participle | conocido | |
| command, to tú | conoce | |
| command, to usted | conozca |
In a sentence
¿conoces a mi hermana?
do you know my sister?
no conozco esta ciudad
I do not know this city