Saber vs conocer
Knowing an answer and knowing a person are different things.
The short answer
Use saber for information you know and saber plus an infinitive for something you know how to do. Use conocer for familiarity with a person, place, or thing. These are useful starting patterns rather than interchangeable translations of English “know”.
saber
Information or know-how
Facts, answers, and knowing how to perform an action.
Sé preparar café.
I know how to make coffee.
conocer
Familiarity or experience
People you know and places or things you are familiar with.
Conozco esta cafetería.
I know this café.
Knowing the answer to a question
Use saber when you can supply a piece of information. It often introduces an indirect question with dónde, cómo, or cuándo, or a statement with que. Imagine giving directions: you might know where a station is even if you have never visited it.
Sé dónde está la estación.
I know where the station is.
Saber introduces the information you know. Dónde keeps its written accent in this indirect question.
Sabemos que la tienda cierra a las seis.
We know that the shop closes at six.
Saber que introduces a known fact.
Knowing how to do something
Put an infinitive directly after saber to describe a learned skill. You do not need to add a word for “how” in this basic pattern. Compare having the skill with being able to act right now: someone may know how to swim but be unable to swim today because of an injury.
Mi hermano sabe nadar.
My brother knows how to swim.
Sabe plus nadar expresses the skill.
Sé nadar, pero hoy no puedo.
I know how to swim, but today I can’t.
Saber describes know-how; poder describes ability or possibility in the situation.
Being familiar with someone or somewhere
Use conocer to talk about knowing a person or being familiar with a place. With a specific person as its direct object, you normally need the personal a. The ordinary place-name pattern has no a. Learn these sentence frames together and substitute people and places from your own life.
Conozco a tu vecino.
I know your neighbour.
The personal a comes before the person you know.
Conozco Valencia bastante bien.
I know Valencia quite well.
You are describing familiarity with the city, not merely knowing a fact about it.
Try it yourself
Choose the word or verb form that fits the situation. Say the complete sentence before checking your answer.
You know how to speak Italian.
Yo ___ hablar italiano.
Check answer 1
Yo sé hablar italiano.
Saber followed by an infinitive expresses know-how. The yo form sé has a written accent.
You are asking whether someone knows your friend Elena personally.
¿___ a Elena?
Check answer 2
¿Conoces a Elena?
Use conocer for a person you know, with the personal a. Conoces is the informal tú form.
You have forgotten the museum’s opening time.
No ___ a qué hora abre el museo.
Check answer 3
No sé a qué hora abre el museo.
The missing knowledge is a piece of information, so use saber. The a belongs to a qué hora, not to a personal object.
Make it your own
Name one skill you have with sé and one place you know with conozco. Recall both sentences later, then add a question you can ask another person.
Grammar references
For further detail, see these Spanish-language dictionary and usage entries. Examples and practice questions above are written for this guide.