vedieť / poznať

Knowing Facts and Knowing People

Level 2

Viem, kde býva. (I know a fact.) Viem plávať. (I know how to swim.) Poznám ho. (I know him, I'm acquainted with him.)

How It Works

The forms

  • vedieť is irregular: viem, vieš, vie, vieme, viete, vedia. Past: vedel, vedela. Negative: neviem.
  • poznať is regular, like volať: poznám, poznáš, pozná, poznáme, poznáte, poznajú. See Present Verbs in -ám.

Vedieť: facts

  • With a clause: Viem, kde býva. (I know where he lives.) Neviem, či príde. (I don't know if she's coming.) See Saying That: že and Whether: či.
  • With to or o + locative: Viem to. (I know that.) Vieš o tom? (Do you know about it?)

Vedieť: skills

With an infinitive, vedieť means you have learned how to do something: Viem plávať. (I can swim.) It is also used for languages: Vieš po slovensky? (Do you speak Slovak?) See Speaking a Language.

Compare môcť, which is about permission or circumstances: Dnes nemôžem plávať, som chorý. (I can't swim today, I'm ill.) See Can and Must.

Poznať: being familiar with

  • People: Poznám ho už desať rokov. (I've known him for ten years.)
  • Places and things: Poznáš Bratislavu? (Do you know Bratislava?) Poznáš túto pesničku? (Do you know this song?)

Notice that Slovak uses the present tense for something that started in the past and still continues: poznám ho desať rokov is English I have known him for ten years.

Examples (6)

  1. Viem, kde býva.

    I know where he lives.

    Vedieť + a clause with kde.

  2. Viem plávať.

    I can swim.

    Word by Word: I-know to-swim.

    Vedieť + infinitive for a learned skill.

  3. Vieš po slovensky?

    Do you speak Slovak?

    Word by Word: You-know in Slovak?

    Vedieť + a language.

  4. Poznám ho už desať rokov.

    I've known him for ten years.

    Poznať + a person. Slovak uses the present tense here.

  5. Poznáš Bratislavu?

    Do you know Bratislava?

    Poznať + a place you may be familiar with.

  6. Neviem, či príde.

    I don't know if she's coming.

    Vedieť + a clause with či (whether).

Common Mistakes

  • Using poznať for a skill.

    Poznáš plávať?
    Vieš plávať?

    Poznať cannot take an infinitive. For knowing how to do something, use vedieť + infinitive.

  • Using vedieť for a person.

    Vieš môjho brata?
    Poznáš môjho brata?

    To say you are acquainted with someone, use poznať + accusative. Vedieť is for facts and skills.

  • Using môcť for a skill. The intended meaning is "I know how to swim".

    Môžem plávať.
    Viem plávať.

    Môžem plávať means that swimming is allowed or possible for you now. For a skill you have learned, Slovak uses vedieť.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

vedieť / poznaťLevel 2Knowing Facts and Knowing People

Learn This First

Before Knowing Facts and Knowing People, learn The Accusative Case for Objects. poznať takes a direct object in the accusative.

Words in This Pattern

vedieťpoznaťpoznať