Know – to have information, understanding, or awareness about something or someone through learning, experience, or familiarity. It can also describe being certain about a fact or recognizing a person, place, or situation.
“Know”: Pronunciation in English
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The verb “know” is pronounced with a silent k, so the word begins directly with the “n” sound. This spelling pattern comes from older forms of English, where the k was once pronounced. Over time, the pronunciation changed, but the original spelling remained.
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The Three Forms of "Know"
The verb “know” is an example of the most essential irregular verb in the English language. It undergoes a complete transformation in the past tense and past participle, making its conjugation rules necessary to remember.
Past Simple: “Knew” in Action
The form “knew” is used to talk about something you understood, realized, or were familiar with in the past.
|
Sentence type |
Rule |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative |
subject + knew + object |
I
|
|
Negative |
subject + didn’t know + object |
She didn’t
|
|
Question |
did + subject + know + object? |
Did they
|
Past Participle: When to Use “Known”
Another form is “known” and it is used in perfect tenses and passive constructions. It is usually combined with verbs like have, has, had, or be.
|
Tense |
Structure |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Perfect |
subject + have/has known + object |
We
|
|
Past Perfect |
subject + had known + object |
He
|
|
Passive Voice |
subject + be + known + for/as |
The restaurant
|
"Know" vs. "Learn" / "Find out"
Many English learners confuse “know,” “learn,” and “find out” because all three verbs are connected to information and knowledge. However, they describe different stages of understanding.
|
Verb |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Know |
to already have information or understanding |
I
|
|
Learn |
to gain knowledge through study or experience |
I
|
|
Find out |
to discover information, often unexpectedly |
We
|
Can We Use "Know" in the Continuous Tense?
The verb “know” is normally classified as a stative verb since it depicts a condition or state rather than an action. It is because of this that the verb is rarely put into continuous tenses.
|
I know what you mean.
|
I am knowing what you mean.
|
|
She knows the answer already.
|
She is knowing the answer already.
|
|
We know each other very well.
|
We are knowing each other very well.
|
Many verbs related to thoughts, feelings, possession, or senses – such as “know,” “believe,” “understand,” “own,” and “love” – are usually not used in continuous forms in natural English.
Everyday Conversational Phrases with "Know"
Expressions with “know” are very frequent in English conversations and can sometimes even be more natural-sounding than direct sentences. Learning them as fixed phrases will help you understand native conversations much more easily.
- You never know – something unexpected may happen
- As far as one knows – based on the information someone currently has
- Know-it-all – a person who behaves as if they know everything
- Not that someone knows of – used when somebody is unaware of something
Translations of "Know" in Spanish, French, and German
Discover variations of the verb “know” in other widely used languages.
| Language | Word for “Know” |
|---|---|
Spanish
|
saber/conocer |
French
|
savoir/connaître |
German
|
wissen/kennen |
