The same place, two verbs
Sé dónde está Madrid.
I know where Madrid is. (information)
Conozco Madrid.
I know Madrid. (I've been there)
The present-tense forms
Both verbs are irregular only in the yo form: sé (with an accent, to keep it apart from the pronoun se) and conozco (with an extra -zc-). Every other form is regular.
saber and conocer in the present
| Person | saber | conocer |
|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | sé | conozco |
| tú (you) | sabes | conoces |
| él/ella/usted (he/she/you formal) | sabe | conoce |
| nosotros/as (we) | sabemos | conocemos |
| vosotros/as (you all) | sabéis | conocéis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes (they/you all formal) | saben | conocen |
What you need saber for
Facts and information
Sé dónde vive.
I know where he lives.
No sabemos su nombre.
We don't know his name.
Skills (saber + infinitive)
English know how to and can both become saber plus the bare infinitive: Sé nadar.
Sé hablar español.
I can speak Spanish.
¿Sabes cocinar?
Can you cook?
What you need conocer for
conocer means familiarity gained from your own experience. It is followed by a person, a place or a thing, never by a whole clause.
Knowing people
Conozco a María.
I know María.
¿Conoces a mi hermano?
Do you know my brother?
Knowing places and things
Conozco Barcelona muy bien.
I know Barcelona very well.
Conocemos un buen restaurante.
We know a good restaurant.
In the indefinido
In the indefinido the meaning moves to the moment the knowing began: conocí = met, supe = found out.
Conocí a mi mejor amigo en la universidad.
I met my best friend at university.
