Spanish word

saber

Pronunciation

IPA/saˈβeɾ/

Meaning

  • verbknow

Example

¿Sabes esto?

Do you know this?

Illustration for saber (know)

More examples

Ella sabe cocinar muy bien.

She knows how to cook very well.

Core concept

An open book beside a brain.

Common phrases

  • saber + infinitivo

    know how to

  • saber cómo

    know how

  • saber la verdad

    know the truth

Similar words

conocer: Know a person or place by meeting, visiting, or experiencing it directly.
entender: Understand and make sense of the meaning of words, ideas, or situations.
aprender: Acquire new knowledge or skills through study or hands-on experience.
recordar: Recall something that was known before but had been forgotten.

Definition in Spanish

Expresa conocer información o haber aprendido una habilidad ('saber + infinitivo'); también se usa para indicar sabor con 'saber a'.

Word origin

From Latin sapere 'to taste, to be wise', with the verb's cognitive sense giving the modern meaning 'to know' while the taste sense survives in expressions like 'saber a'.

Usage tips

  • When talking about meeting or being familiar with people or places, Spanish uses conocer rather than saber.

Other meanings

  • know how toverb
  • taste likeverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word