“Conocer” in the Preterite vs. Imperfect: Meaning and Usage in Spanish

The verb “conocer” means “to know” or “to be familiar with”, but its meaning changes depending on whether it is used in the preterite or imperfect. In this post, we’ll break down the differences and give you examples to help you use it correctly.

1. “Conocer” in the Imperfect (Conocía, Conocías, etc.)

In the imperfect, “conocer” means “knew” or “was familiar with” someone or something in the past. It describes an ongoing state or background knowledge.

✅ Use “conocer” in the imperfect when:

• Talking about people, places, or things you already knew in the past
• Describing a situation without a clear beginning or end

🔹 Examples:

• Yo conocía a Juan cuando éramos niños. (I knew Juan when we were kids.)
• Ella conocía bien la ciudad. (She was familiar with the city.)
• Nosotros conocíamos el restaurante porque íbamos mucho. (We knew the restaurant because we used to go a lot.)

💡 Key Idea: In the imperfect, “conocer” describes an ongoing or habitual knowledge of a person, place, or thing.

2. “Conocer” in the Preterite (Conocí, Conociste, etc.)

In the preterite, “conocer” means “met” someone for the first time or “discovered” a place or thing. It refers to a specific moment when you got to know someone or something.

✅ Use “conocer” in the preterite when:

• Talking about meeting someone for the first time
• Referring to the first time you encountered a place or thing

🔹 Examples:

• Anoche conocí a tu hermana. (Last night, I met your sister.)
• Ellos conocieron a su nuevo profesor ayer. (They met their new teacher yesterday.)
• Conocimos París el verano pasado. (We visited [got to know] Paris last summer.)

💡 Key Idea: In the preterite, “conocer” refers to the moment when someone met a person, visited a place, or learned about something for the first time.

3. Comparing “Conocer” in the Preterite and Imperfect

Now try using “conocer” in both tenses! Can you think of a sentence using “conocer” in the preterite and another in the imperfect? 😊