Saber preterite conjugation
Saber in the preterite: supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supisteis, supieron.
- to know (facts, information); to know how to; to taste
- irregular
- Participle: sabido
- Gerund: sabiendo
Preterite pretérito
| yo | supe |
|---|---|
| tú | supiste |
| él/ella/usted | supo |
| nosotros | supimos |
| vosotros | supisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | supieron |
How to use saber in the preterite
The preterite of saber (supe, supiste, supo, supimos, supieron) usually means "found out" or "learned," because knowing something starts at a specific moment. "Supe que estabas enfermo" means "I heard you were sick." In the negative, "nunca supe" means "I never found out." For ongoing knowledge in the past, use the imperfect sabía instead.
Examples
¿Cómo supiste del puesto?
How did you find out about the position?
Lo supimos ayer por la tarde.
We found out yesterday afternoon.
Nunca supe por qué renunció.
I never found out why she quit.
Quick check: saber in the preterite
More saber tenses
- All saber tenses
- Saber present
- Saber imperfect
- Saber future
- Saber conditional
- Saber present subjunctive
- Saber affirmative commands
Other verbs in the preterite
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