Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to know (a person or place)" in Italian: conoscere
conoscere
To know a person or place in Italian is conoscere (koh-NOH-sheh-reh). Present: io conosco, tu conosci, lui/lei conosce. Use conoscere for people and cities; sapere for facts.
Talking about a city
Conosco bene Bologna.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce conoscere
Say it
koh-NOH-sheh-reh
/koˈnoʃ.ʃe.re/
Conoscere stresses NOH: koh-NOH-sheh-reh. Soft sc before e. Conosco is koh-NOH-skoh.
"to know (a person or place)" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| conoscere | to know (people/places) Familiarity, not raw facts. | Familiarity, not raw facts. |
| conosco / conosci / conosce | I know / you know / he-she knows Present singular. | Present singular. |
| piacere di conoscerti | nice to meet you (tu) First meetings. | First meetings. |
| conoscere qualcuno | to meet / get to know someone Can mean meet for the first time too. | Can mean meet for the first time too. |
How to use conoscere in real life
- 1Talking about a city
Conosco bene Bologna.
I know Bologna well.
Conosco for places.
- 2At a party
Conosci già Marta?
Do you already know Marta?
Conosci for tu + person.
- 3Work chat
Lei conosce il nuovo direttore?
Does she know the new director?
Conosce for lui/lei.
Mistakes English speakers make with conoscere
Incorrect: So Maria da scuola.
Correct: Conosco Maria da scuola.
People take conoscere, not sapere.
Incorrect: Io conoscere Roma.
Correct: Conosco Roma.
Conjugate: io conosco.
Good to know
Conoscere covers both knowing and meeting: Piacere di conoscerti at introductions. Italians ask conosci…? to map social circles. For facts and news, switch back to sapere.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Connecting two friends at a café
ChatPal
Conosci già Luca?
Do you already know Luca?
You
No, non lo conosco: piacere!
No, I don't know him: nice to meet you!
ChatPal
Luca conosce tutti i bar della zona.
Luca knows all the bars in the area.
You
Allora voglio conoscerlo meglio.
Then I want to get to know him better.
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 person or place)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to know (a person or place)" in Italian
Conoscere or sapere?
Conoscere for people and places. Sapere for facts and know-how.
How do I say I know her?
La conosco.
Does conoscere mean meet?
It can—especially in piacere di conoscerti or when you meet someone new.
What are the present forms?
Conosco, conosci, conosce, conosciamo, conoscete, conoscono.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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