German · Everyday Verbs
"to know (a fact)" in German: wissen
wissen
To know a fact in German is wissen. Say Ich weiß or Weißt du das?. For people and places use kennen, not wissen.
Checking a fact
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How to pronounce wissen
Say it
VIS-en
/ˈvɪsn̩/
VIS-en. Soft w as v. Short i.
"to know (a fact)" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| wissen | to know (facts) Core verb. | Core verb. |
| ich weiß / du weißt / er weiß | I/you/he know(s) Irregular present. | Irregular present. |
| gewusst | known Past participle. | Past participle. |
| meines Wissens | to my knowledge Formal hedge. | Formal hedge. |
How to use wissen in real life
- 1Checking a fact
Weißt du, wann der Laden zumacht?
Do you know when the shop closes?
Weißt du for fact questions.
- 2Admitting uncertainty
Ich weiß es nicht genau.
I don't know exactly.
Ich weiß + es.
- 3Sharing news
Jetzt weiß ich, warum er fehlte.
Now I know why he was missing.
Weiß is first and third person.
Mistakes English speakers make with wissen
Incorrect: Ich wissen das.
Correct: Ich weiß das.
First person is ich weiß.
Incorrect: Ich weiß ihn. (a person)
Correct: Ich kenne ihn.
People take kennen, not wissen.
Good to know
Germans separate wissen and kennen carefully. Mixing them is a classic learner giveaway. Weiß ich nicht is a normal short answer, not rude by itself.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Looking up train times
ChatPal
Weißt du die Gleisnummer?
Do you know the platform number?
You
Nein. Ich weiß nur die Uhrzeit.
No. I only know the time.
ChatPal
Okay, dann wissen wir wenigstens das.
Okay, then at least we know that.
You
Die Tafel sagt Gleis fünf.
The board says platform five.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to know (a fact)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to know (a fact)" in German
How do you conjugate wissen?
Ich weiß, du weißt, er/sie/es weiß, wir wissen, ihr wisst, sie wissen.
What is the difference between wissen and kennen?
Wissen is for facts; kennen is for people, places, and familiarity.
How do you say I don't know?
Ich weiß nicht. / Keine Ahnung.
What is the past of wissen?
Ich wusste / ich habe gewusst.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
