Conocer Present Tense in Latin American Spanish

The simple present tense of conocer is used to express actions happening in the present moment. For example, Conozco a tu hermana. (I know your sister.)

Conocer is a spelling-changing verb where the ‘c’ changes to ‘zc’ before the ‘a’ and ‘o’ endings.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Conocer (to know) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Pronoun Conjugation
Yoconozco
conoces
Él / Ella / Ustedconoce
Nosotros / Nosotrasconocemos
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedesconocen

Boost Your Memorization with Audio!

We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Conocer (to know) in the Present Tense to help you learn faster.

Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.

Usage of Conocer in the Present Tense

Conocer generally means “to know” or “to be acquainted with”, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To know a person or place: for example, Yo conozco a mi vecino (I know my neighbor).

To be familiar with something: for example, Conozco bien esa ciudad (I know that city well).

To experience or witness something: for example, No conozco la pobreza (I have not experienced poverty).

To be acquainted with someone sexually (colloquial): for example, Conozco a esa chica, si sabes lo que quiero decir (I “know” that girl, if you know what I mean).

To recognize or identify something: for example, Conozco esa canción (I recognize that song).

Examples

Examples of Conocer in the Present Tense

Yo conozco a mi vecino desde hace años. (I’ve known my neighbor for years.)

¿Conoces a alguien que hable francés? (Do you know anyone who speaks French?)

Ella conoce muy bien la ciudad. (She knows the city very well.)

Conocemos un buen restaurante cerca de aquí. (We know a good restaurant nearby.)

Mis amigos conocen todos los mejores lugares para salir. (My friends know all the best places to go out.)

En este momento, conozco a varias personas que están buscando trabajo. (Right now, I know several people who are looking for a job.)

¿Conoces la última película de ese director? (Do you know the director’s latest movie?)

Ella conoce los riesgos, pero aún así quiere intentarlo. (She knows the risks, but she still wants to try it.)

Conocemos a un experto que puede ayudarnos con este proyecto. (We know an expert who can help us with this project.)

Ellos conocen todas las tendencias de moda actuales. (They know all the current fashion trends.)

Yo conozco un buen truco para ahorrar dinero en las compras. (I know a good trick to save money when shopping.)

¿Conoces algún buen lugar para acampar por aquí? (Do you know any good camping spots around here?)

Ella conoce los beneficios de hacer ejercicio regularmente. (She knows the benefits of exercising regularly.)

Conocemos un atajo para llegar más rápido. (We know a shortcut to get there faster.)

Ellos conocen las últimas noticias sobre el cambio climático. (They know the latest news about climate change.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Conocer (to know) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

Spanish English
Yo conozco I know
Tú conoces You know
Él / Ella / Usted conoce He / She / You knows
Nosotros / Nosotras conocemos We know
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes conocen They / You all know

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.