Meaning
to know (information)
- to know
- to know how to; can
- to taste/smell of
In a sentence
Non so dove hai messo le chiavi.
I don't know where you put the keys.
Sai cucinare la pasta senza guardare la ricetta?
Can you cook pasta without looking at the recipe?
Questo latte sa di fragola.
This milk tastes of strawberry.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| sapere | infinitive |
| sappiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| so | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| sapete | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| sai | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| sanno | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| sa | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| sapevamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| sapevo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| sapevate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| sapevi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| sapevano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| sapeva | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| sapemmo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| seppi | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| sapeste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| sapesti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| seppero | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| seppe | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| sapremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| saprò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| saprete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| saprai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| sapranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| saprà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| sappiamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| sappia | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| sappiate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| sappia | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| sappiano | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| sappia | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| sapessimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| sapessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| sapeste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| sapessi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| sapessero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| sapesse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| sapremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| saprei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| sapreste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| sapresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| saprebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| saprebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| sappiamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| sappiate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| sappi | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| sapendo | gerund |
| saputo | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Use 'sapere' for facts/skills; 'conoscere' for people/places/things. 'So il francese' (I know French), 'Conosco Parigi' (I know Paris).
- Auxiliary is always 'avere': 'Ho saputo la notizia' (I found out the news). Never use 'essere'.
- In questions, 'sapere' often implies 'do you happen to know...?': 'Sai dov'è la stazione?' (Do you know where the station is?).
- present: so, sai, sa, sappiamo, sapete, sanno