Punto di partenza

• The verbs conoscere and sapere both mean to know.

The choice of verb depends on its context.

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 • Conoscere means to know or to be familiar with a
person, place, or thing. It can also mean to meet
(for the first time).

Conosci quel negozio? Non conosco il commesso.

Do you know that store? I don’t know the salesman.
Conosciamo Roma. Vuoi conoscere Sabatino?
We’re familiar with Rome. Do you want to meet Sabatino?

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 • In the passato prossimo, conoscere means only
to meet (for the first time). It is used with avere, and
its past participle is conosciuto.

Ho conosciuto Enrico due Non hai ancora conosciuto

anni fa. Luisa?
I met Enrico two years ago. You haven’t met Luisa yet?

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 • The expression conoscere di vista means to know
by sight; conoscere... a fondo means to know
something inside and out; and conoscere la strada
means to know the way.

Papà conosce la strada Conosco a fondo quel gioco.

per il Ponte Vecchio. I know that game inside and out.
Dad knows the way to the
Ponte Vecchio.

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 • Riconoscere (To recognize) follows the same
conjugation pattern as conoscere.

Non riconosco la ragazza Il commesso ha riconosciuto

con la giacca blu. il cliente.
I don’t recognize the girl The salesperson recognized
in the blue jacket. the customer.

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 • Sapere means to know facts or information. It is
irregular in the present tense.

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 • To express to know how to do something, use sapere
+ [infinitive].

Non sanno usare La nonna sa scaricare

il portatile. una app?
They don’t know how to Does Grandma know how to
use the laptop. download an app?
Sapete ballare voi? Mio foglio già sa leggere
Do you know how to dance? e scrivere.
My son knows how to read
and write.

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 • In the passato prossimo, sapere means to find out.
It is used with avere, and its past participle is saputo.

Sabato scorso hanno saputo Ho saputo che la sciarpa gialla

che lui ha chiuso il negozio. è in saldo.
Last Saturday they found out I found out that the yellow
that he closed the store. scarf is on sale.

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 • Reply with the expression Non lo so if you do not
know the information asked for in a question.

Chi ha inventato gli occhiali?

Who invented glasses? Non lo so!
Che ora è? I don’t know!
What time is it?

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 • You can use either conoscere or sapere with
languages. Remember, however, that the two
verbs are rarely interchangeable. Compare the
following examples.

Conosci Roberta? Sai dove abita Roberta?

Do you know Roberta? Do you know where Roberta lives?
Ieri ho conosciuto Vincenzo. Ha saputo che è sposato.
Yesterday I met Vincenzo. She found out that he’s married.

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 Scusi, sa come arrivare al Colosseo?

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