Meaning and behavior
What does saber mean?
Saber means to know, to understand (a fact). VerbyGo classifies it as an irregular -ER verb. It is non-reflexive.
to know how to do something; to find out, to learn.
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- saber
- Gerund
- sabiendo
- Past participle
- sabido
Verified irregular pattern
How this verb behaves
Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present, preterite, future.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of saber for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | sé |
| tú | sabes |
| él / ella / usted | sabe |
| nosotros / nosotras | sabemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sabéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | saben |
Present forms
Present perfect
Use present haber with sabido for a completed action connected to the present.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | he sabido |
| tú | has sabido |
| él / ella / usted | ha sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han sabido |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of saber is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | supe |
| tú | supiste |
| él / ella / usted | supo |
| nosotros / nosotras | supimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | supisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | supieron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of saber, or for background information.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | sabía |
| tú | sabías |
| él / ella / usted | sabía |
| nosotros / nosotras | sabíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sabíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sabían |
Past forms
Past perfect
Use imperfect haber with sabido for an action completed before another past point.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | había sabido |
| tú | habías sabido |
| él / ella / usted | había sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habíamos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habíais sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habían sabido |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of saber for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | sabré |
| tú | sabrás |
| él / ella / usted | sabrá |
| nosotros / nosotras | sabremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sabréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sabrán |
Future and conditional
Future perfect
Use future haber with sabido for an action that will be complete before a future point.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | habré sabido |
| tú | habrás sabido |
| él / ella / usted | habrá sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habremos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habréis sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrán sabido |
Future and conditional
Simple conditional
Use the conditional forms of saber for hypothetical or tactful statements.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | sabría |
| tú | sabrías |
| él / ella / usted | sabría |
| nosotros / nosotras | sabríamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sabríais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sabrían |
Future and conditional
Conditional perfect
Use conditional haber with sabido for a hypothetical completed past action.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | habría sabido |
| tú | habrías sabido |
| él / ella / usted | habría sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habríamos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habríais sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrían sabido |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | sepa |
| tú | sepas |
| él / ella / usted | sepa |
| nosotros / nosotras | sepamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sepáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sepan |
Subjunctive forms
Perfect subjunctive
Use present-subjunctive haber with sabido for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | haya sabido |
| tú | hayas sabido |
| él / ella / usted | haya sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hayamos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hayáis sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan sabido |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | supieraAlso accepted: supiese |
| tú | supierasAlso accepted: supieses |
| él / ella / usted | supieraAlso accepted: supiese |
| nosotros / nosotras | supiéramosAlso accepted: supiésemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | supieraisAlso accepted: supieseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | supieranAlso accepted: supiesen |
Subjunctive forms
Past perfect subjunctive
Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with sabido for an unreal or earlier completed past action.
| Subject | Saber |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera sabidoAlso accepted: hubiese sabido |
| tú | hubieras sabidoAlso accepted: hubieses sabido |
| él / ella / usted | hubiera sabidoAlso accepted: hubiese sabido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hubiéramos sabidoAlso accepted: hubiésemos sabido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hubierais sabidoAlso accepted: hubieseis sabido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hubieran sabidoAlso accepted: hubiesen sabido |
Verified context
Examples with saber
No sé lo que es.
I don't know what it is.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRNo sé si es amor.
I wonder if this is love.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRNo sé si lo sabe.
I don't know if he knows it.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Saber FAQ
What does saber mean?
Saber means to know, to understand (a fact).
Is saber regular or irregular?
Saber is a irregular -ER verb.
What is the gerund of saber?
The gerund of saber is sabiendo.
What is the past participle of saber?
The past participle of saber is sabido.
How is saber conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is sé, sabes, sabe, sabemos, saben.
How is saber conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supieron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.