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BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE VERB

saber

to know a fact, to know how to

  • #9 most used
  • Irregular -er verb
  • Gerund: sabendo
  • Past participle: sabido

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. eu I know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you know a fact
  3. nós we know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all know a fact

Past

Pretérito Perfeito · finished actions

  1. eu I knew a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you knew a fact
  3. nós we knew a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all knew a fact

Future

Futuro com ir · plans: “going to”

  1. eu I am going to know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you are going to know a fact
  3. nós we are going to know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all are going to know a fact

Imperfect

Pretérito Imperfeito · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. eu I used to know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you used to know a fact
  3. nós we used to know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all used to know a fact

Conditional

Futuro do Pretérito · “would”

  1. eu I would know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you would know a fact
  3. nós we would know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all would know a fact

Present subjunctive

Presente do Subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. eu (that) I know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (that) you know a fact
  3. nós (that) we know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas (that) you all know a fact

Past subjunctive

Imperfeito do Subjuntivo · “if I were”, “se …”

  1. eu (if) I knew a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (if) you knew a fact
  3. nós (if) we knew a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas (if) you all knew a fact

Future subjunctive

Futuro do Subjuntivo · “when” and “if” about the future

  1. eu (when) I know a fact
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (when) you know a fact
  3. nós (when) we know a fact
  4. vocês, eles, elas (when) you all know a fact

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders

  1. você know a fact!
  2. vocês know a fact! (all of you)

How to use saber

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Eu não sei o nome dessa rua.

    I don't know the name of this street.

  2. Past

    Eu só soube da notícia hoje de manhã.

    I only heard the news this morning.

  3. Future

    Amanhã a gente vai saber o resultado.

    Tomorrow we're going to know the result.

  4. Imperfect

    Eu não sabia que você falava japonês!

    I didn't know you spoke Japanese!

  5. Conditional

    Você saberia me dizer onde fica o metrô?

    Could you tell me where the subway is?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Talvez ela saiba o telefone do dentista.

    Maybe she knows the dentist's number.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Se eu soubesse, teria avisado você.

    If I had known, I would have told you.

  8. Future subjunctive

    Quando souber a data, me avisa.

    When you know the date, let me know.

  9. Imperative

    Saiba que você sempre pode contar comigo.

    Know that you can always count on me.

Good to know

  • Saber is to know a fact or how to do something; conhecer is to know a person or a place.
  • "Sei lá" is "who knows" or "no idea".

Where you hear saber

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Brazilian Portuguese · Beginner Level 1

  • Eu sei dançar. I know how to dance.
  • Eu soube ontem. I found out yesterday.
  • Você vai saber amanhã. You'll know tomorrow.

Brazilian Portuguese · Beginner Level 2

  • Eu sei onde fica a estação. I know where the station is.
  • Eu soube da novidade ontem. I heard the news yesterday.
  • Amanhã nós vamos saber. Tomorrow we're going to know.
27
Happy Birthday!

Beginner Level 1 · você sabe · eu sei · Não sei.

Needs a subscription 24
What Did She Say?

Beginner Level 2 · saber · Ela quer saber

Needs a subscription 28
To Stay or to Go?

Beginner Level 2 · eu não sei se

Needs a subscription 3
They're Coming!

Beginner Level 3 · eles sabem

Needs a subscription 9
When He Was Little

Beginner Level 3 · eu sabia

Needs a subscription 3
It's Important That You Arrive Early

Intermediate Level 1 · que você saiba

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I'm Sorry You're Upset

Intermediate Level 1 · Eu não sabia.

Needs a subscription 12
When We Get There

Intermediate Level 1 · quando eu souber

Needs a subscription 17
For You to Arrive Early

Intermediate Level 1 · saberem

Needs a subscription 19
Whoever Catches the Bouquet

Intermediate Level 1 · Sei.

Needs a subscription 28
As If Nothing Were Happening

Intermediate Level 1 · soubesse

Needs a subscription 30
Engaged

Intermediate Level 1 · quando vocês souberem

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And 6 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -er verb.