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Italian sapere Conjugation
“to know (a fact) / to know how to” · 知道；会 · all seven simple tenses plus the past participle
Present tenseio so · tu sai · lui / lei sa · noi sappiamo · voi sapete · loro sanno
Sapere ("to know") covers facts, information and skills, and its present singular is a set of very short forms: so, sai, sa. With an infinitive it means to know how to do something: so nuotare.
Below are the complete sapere tables for all seven simple tenses, the contrast with conoscere, and the idioms mi sa and chissà.
Present indicativeIndicativo presente
States what is true or happening now, plus habits and general facts.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | so |
| tu | sai |
| lui / lei | sa |
| noi | sappiamo |
| voi | sapete |
| loro | sanno |
Example:Studio italiano ogni giorno.
I study Italian every day.
ImperfectIndicativo imperfetto
Describes past background, ongoing states, and repeated behaviour.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sapevo |
| tu | sapevi |
| lui / lei | sapeva |
| noi | sapevamo |
| voi | sapevate |
| loro | sapevano |
Example:Da piccolo giocavo qui.
I used to play here as a child.
Historic pastIndicativo passato remoto
Narrates a past event seen as complete, mainly in writing; spoken usage varies by region.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | seppi |
| tu | sapesti |
| lui / lei | seppe |
| noi | sapemmo |
| voi | sapeste |
| loro | seppero |
Example:Dante nacque nel 1265.
Dante was born in 1265.
FutureIndicativo futuro semplice
Refers to the future, and can also express a guess about the present.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | saprò |
| tu | saprai |
| lui / lei | saprà |
| noi | sapremo |
| voi | saprete |
| loro | sapranno |
Example:Domani partirò presto.
Tomorrow I will leave early.
ConditionalCondizionale presente
Used for polite requests and wishes, and for what would happen under a condition.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | saprei |
| tu | sapresti |
| lui / lei | saprebbe |
| noi | sapremmo |
| voi | sapreste |
| loro | saprebbero |
Example:Vorrei un caffè.
I would like a coffee.
Present subjunctiveCongiuntivo presente
Common in clauses after certain verbs and conjunctions to express wishes, judgements and doubts; use depends on the construction.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sappia |
| tu | sappia |
| lui / lei | sappia |
| noi | sappiamo |
| voi | sappiate |
| loro | sappiano |
Example:Spero che tu stia bene.
I hope you are well.
Imperfect subjunctiveCongiuntivo imperfetto
Follows some past main clauses, and appears in hypothetical conditions.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sapessi |
| tu | sapessi |
| lui / lei | sapesse |
| noi | sapessimo |
| voi | sapeste |
| loro | sapessero |
Example:Se avessi tempo, leggerei di più.
If I had time, I would read more.
Past participle Participio passato
- masculine singular
- saputo
- feminine singular
- saputa
- masculine plural
- saputi
- feminine plural
- sapute
Auxiliary: Sapere takes avere: ho saputo (I found out, I heard that).
How it is used
so, sai, sa — and the stem that comes back
The singular present has lost the stem: so, sai, sa. The plural restores it with a doubled p: sappiamo, sapete, sanno. The subjunctive follows the same shape (che io sappia, che voi sappiate), the future contracts to sapr- (saprò, saprai, saprà), and the historic past switches to sepp-: seppi, seppe, seppero.
Sapere vs conoscere
Sapere is to know a fact or how to do a thing: so il tuo numero, so che arrivi, so cucinare. Conoscere is to be acquainted with a person, place or thing: conosco Marco, conosco bene Roma. Asked "do you know the answer?", the reply is sì, lo so; asked "do you know Marco?", it is sì, lo conosco.
Where learners slip
It is lo so, not *lo sono. Sapere takes a bare infinitive with no preposition: so ballare. Three idioms are worth learning early: mi sa che piove (I reckon it will rain), mi sa di bruciato (it tastes of burning), and chissà (who knows), literally che plus sa.
Questions learners ask
How do I say "I know how to swim"?
So nuotare — sapere plus a bare infinitive. Posso nuotare would be about permission or the circumstances, not the skill.
Is sapere irregular?
In the present singular (so, sai, sa), in the subjunctive (sappia) and in the historic past (seppi, seppe, seppero). The imperfect is regular: sapevo, sapevi, sapeva.
Should I say "lo so" or "lo sono"?
Lo so. The first person of sapere is so; sono is essere, and *lo sono is one of the most reliable learner tells.
What is the participle of sapere?
Saputo, and with avere it means I found out or I heard: ho saputo la notizia (I heard the news).
中文说明
sapere：知道；会
- 直陈式现在时 · Indicativo presente
- 直陈式未完成过去时 · Indicativo imperfetto
- 直陈式远过去时 · Indicativo passato remoto
- 直陈式简单将来时 · Indicativo futuro semplice
- 条件式现在时 · Condizionale presente
- 虚拟式现在时 · Congiuntivo presente
- 虚拟式未完成过去时 · Congiuntivo imperfetto
Practise sapere
Present indicative · io
Practise in the order io, tu, lui / lei, noi, voi, loro, then move on to the next tense.
Put the forms back into sentences
Meet the same verb in real contexts with the grammar notes and the graded reading material.
Italian grammarMore Italian study material