Italian

Grammar
Made Easy
PODCAST FREEBIE
EPISODE #2

THE ULTIMATE
CONOSCERE AND SAPERE
CHEAT SHEET
BY ITALIAN MATTERS

© ITALIAN MATTERS LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

WHAT DO CONOSCERE AND SAPERE MEAN?
Conoscere and sapere both mean to know in English, but they are used in specific contexts and
situations.

THE CONOSCERE AND SAPERE CONJUGATION IN THE PRESENT INDICATIVE

Conoscere is a regular verb, while sapere is an irregular verb.

io conosco io so
tu conosci tu sai
lui/lei conosce lui/lei sa
noi conosciamo noi sappiamo
voi conoscete voi sapete
loro conoscono loro sanno

HOW TO USE CONOSCERE AND SAPERE?

Conoscere and sapere are used in the following specific contexts and situations.

Usually: conoscere + a noun Usually: sapere + a sentence or an infinitive

✓ To know or to be familiar with a person, ✓ To know a fact
place, or thing ✓ Sappiamo che si sposano sabato prossimo.
✓ Conosco la mamma di Marta. I know We know that they will get married next
Marta’s mom. Saturday.

✓ To meet somebody for the first time ✓ To know how to do something

✓ Ieri ho conosciuto tua sorella. Yesterday I ✓ Luigi e Marina sanno suonare il pianoforte.
met your sister. Luigi e Marina know how to play the piano.

✓ With the meaning of “to be famous”
✓ La regina d’Inghilterra è conosciuta in tutto
il mondo. The queen of England is known
all over the world.
✓ With the present perfect or passato
prossimo, it means “found out”
✓ Abbiamo saputo che Luca è nato a
mezzanotte! We found out that Luca was
born at midnight!

✓ To know a language
✓ Sai parlare italiano. You know how to speak
Italian.

✓ To ask the time

✓ Sai che ora è? Do you know what time it is?

These rules also apply to negative sentences. For example, if you don’t know how to do something
you would use sapere: Non so suonare la chitarra. I don’t know how to play the guitar.

© ITALIAN MATTERS LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.