German for Beginners
Lektion 16B
kennen und wissen
Knowing How to Say Know - Part 2
Druckversion - Printer version
Now let's look at how the three German "know" verbs can be used. After you've studied this section you can test yourself to see how well you've learned this lesson.
Below is a chart that indicates the basic differences among the three German "to know" verbs. Learn these key differences:
| The Three 'Know' Verbs | |
| ERKLÄRUNG / EXPLANATION | |
| Verb | 'Know' Conditions |
| kennen | Knowing PEOPLE or being familiar with things |
| Possible 'thing' objects of kennen: Ich kenne... das Buch, den Film, das Lied, die Gruppe, den Schauspieler, die Stadt, usw. I know (am familiar with)... the book, the movie, the song, the group, the actor, the city, etc. |
|
| können | Knowing HOW to do something |
| Usually used with languages, implying someone "can" speak, read, write and understand it: Er kann Französisch. = He knows French. Otherwise limited to "can" or "to be able." | |
| wissen | Knowing information, FACTS |
| Often used with interrogatives: wann, wie, wo, warum, usw. Ich weiß, wo er ist. = I know where he is. (information) |
|
| Knowing How to Say Know | |
| SAMPLE SENTENCES | |
| Deutsch | Englisch |
| Ich kenne ihn nur vom Ansehen. | I only know him by sight. |
| Sie kennt mich nur dem Namen nach. | She only knows me by name. |
| Wer weiß? | Who knows? |
| Ich kenne Anna schon seit Jahren. | I've known Anna for years. |
| Können Sie Englisch? | Do you know English? |
| Wissen Sie, wie spät es ist? | Do you know (have) the time? |
| Ich weiß (es) nicht. | I don't know. |
| Kennst du ihn/sie? | Do you know him/her? |
| Weißt du, wann der Zug abfährt? | Do you know when the train is departing? |
| Den Film kenne ich nicht. | I don't know that film. |
| IDIOMS/EXPRESSIONS | |
| Sie weiß immer alles besser. | She always knows better. |
| Nicht, dass ich wüsste. | Not as far as I know. |
| Man kann nie wissen. | You (just) never know. |
| Er will nichts von ihr wissen. | He wants nothing to do with her. |
| Das kenne ich schon. | I've heard that (all/one) before. |
| Das kennen wir hier nicht. | We don't put up with that here. |
| Sie kennen keine Armut. | They don't have/know any poverty. |
| Wir kannten kein Mass. | We went too far. / We overdid it. |
| Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus.* | I don't know my way around here. |
| * sich auskennen = to know one's way around | |
| Was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß. | What I don't know won't hurt me. |
| Mein Name ist Hase, ich weiß von nichts. | (My name is rabbit and) I know nothing. |
| Ich weiß nichts davon. | I don't know anything about it. |
| Ich weiß Bescheid. | I know about it. (I've been informed.) |
| Wir haben uns vor zwei Jahren kennen gelernt.* | We became acquainted two years ago. |
| Wir lernten uns in Berlin kennen.* | We met in Berlin. |
| * kennen lernen = to become acquainted, get to know | |
| NEXT > Part 3: Modal Verbs QUIZ > Test Yourself ("to know") |
|
In the next part of our lesson you'll learn more about German modal verbs. If you want to see if you have learned the German verbs used to express "to know," try the quiz for this lesson.
QUIZ > Test Yourself on this lesson!
NEXT > Part 3: Modal Verbs
PREVIOUS > Part One of this lesson
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