Verb CONHECER (to know - people/places)

In Portuguese, we have two verbs for "to know." This can be tricky for English speakers. We have saber and we have conhecer. Conhecer is specifically for people, places, and things you are familiar with. It is an -er verb. This means it follows most standard patterns for verbs ending in -er. However, it has a small spelling change in the first person. This change is there to keep the sound consistent. Don't worry, it is a very common pattern in Portuguese. Once you see it, you will spot it everywhere. It is like a secret code for pronunciation.

1. 1To conjugate conhecer, we start with the stem conhec-. For most forms, you just add the regular -er endings. But look closely at the Eu (I) form.
2. 2For Eu, we change the c to ç. This gives us conheço.
3. 3We do this to keep the soft "s" sound. Without the ç, it would sound like "con-he-co" (with a hard K).
4. 4For Você/Ele/Ela, use the ending e. This gives us conhece.
5. 5For Nós, use the ending emos. This gives us conhecemos.
6. 6For Vocês/Eles/Elas, use the ending em. This gives us conhecem.
7. 7It is like a grammar traffic light. The ç tells you to keep the sound smooth and soft.

Use conhecer when you talk about people. "I know Maria" is Eu conheço a Maria. Use it when you talk about places. "I know Lisbon" is Eu conheço Lisboa. This means you have physically been there. It is also the verb for "to meet." If you meet a new colleague, you use conhecer. You can use it for artistic works too. "Do you know this book?" is Você conhece este livro?. It implies you have read it or are familiar with it. Use it in job interviews to talk about your familiarity with a company. Use it when ordering food if you know a specific dish. It is a very versatile and friendly verb.

Do not use conhecer for facts. If you know the time, use saber. If you know a phone number, use saber. Do not use it for skills. If you know how to swim, use saber. If you use conhecer for a skill, it sounds like you are "acquainted" with the concept of swimming but can't actually do it. Imagine telling a boss you "know" Python like you know a distant cousin. They might not hire you! Keep conhecer for things you can visit, touch, or shake hands with.

A very common mistake is forgetting the cedilha (ç) in Eu conheço. Native speakers will still understand you, but it looks a bit "naked" without it. Another mistake is using saber for people. Saying Eu sei o Pedro sounds very strange. It is like saying you have "information" on Pedro but haven't met him. Yes, even native speakers mess up other verbs, but they rarely miss this one. Think of the ç as a little tail that helps the verb swim through the sentence.

Let's look at conhecer versus saber. Saber is the library; conhecer is the party. Saber is about what is in your head (facts, logic, skills). Conhecer is about what is in your life (people, travel, experiences). You sabe that Paris is the capital of France. You conhece Paris because you walked by the Eiffel Tower. It is the difference between having a map and actually walking the trail. In Spanish, this is exactly like conocer vs saber. If you know Spanish, you are already halfway there!