know
A1Neutral (universal across all registers)
Definition
Meaning
To have information in your mind; to be aware of something through observation, inquiry, or experience.
To be familiar or acquainted with a person, place, or thing; to have a practical understanding or skill; to recognize or identify.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a stative verb; rarely used in progressive tenses. Its past tense is irregular ('knew') and past participle is 'known'. It can express certainty, familiarity, or recognition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Minor spelling conventions apply in derivatives (e.g., BrE 'knowingness', AmE also accepts).
Connotations
Identical core connotations. 'Know' in 'you know' as a discourse marker might be perceived as slightly more frequent in casual AmE speech.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both variants, ranking among the top 50 most common words.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
know + NP (I know him)know + that-clause (I know that he's here)know + wh-clause (I know where it is)know + NP + to-infinitive (I know him to be honest)be known + as/for/to (She is known for her work)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “know the ropes”
- “know the score”
- “know what's what”
- “in the know”
- “not know the first thing about”
- “before you know it”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to express familiarity with procedures, markets, or contacts (e.g., 'We need to know our competitors').
Academic
Used to state established facts, theories, or personal understanding (e.g., 'As we know from the study...').
Everyday
Universal use for personal information, skills, and recognition (e.g., 'I know her name').
Technical
Used to indicate system awareness or parameter recognition (e.g., 'The program knows the user's location').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I don't know the postcode for that area.
- They knew the risks involved from the start.
American English
- I don't know the zip code for that area.
- They knew the risks involved from the get-go.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb, but found in compounds) He nodded knowingly.
American English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb, but found in compounds) He nodded knowingly.
adjective
British English
- He is a well-known author in literary circles.
- She gave me a knowing look.
American English
- He is a well-known author in literary circles.
- She gave me a knowing look.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I know your name.
- Do you know the time?
- She knows my brother.
- I know how to cook pasta.
- He didn't know that the shop was closed.
- We need to know more about this topic.
- As far as I know, the meeting is still on.
- Having lived there, she knows the city intimately.
- I know for a fact that he submitted the report.
- The committee is known to favour conservative proposals.
- He knows full well the implications of his decision.
- Few people knew of the ancient treaty's existence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a nodding head (saying 'no') that actually means 'I KNOW' – linking the pronunciation /noʊ/ to the act of affirming knowledge.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING ('I see what you mean'), KNOWING IS POSSESSING ('He has a lot of knowledge'), KNOWING IS A JOURNEY ('We are getting to know each other').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing 'know' (знать) with 'can' (уметь). In English, 'know how to' is used for skills: 'I know how to swim' (Я умею плавать).
- Overusing progressive forms. 'I am knowing' is almost always incorrect. Use simple forms: 'I know'.
- Using 'know' for meeting someone. Use 'meet' for first encounter: 'I met him yesterday' (Я познакомился с ним вчера), not 'I knew him yesterday'.
- Translating 'узнать' directly. 'I knew it!' is for prior certainty, not discovery. For discovery use 'I found out' or 'I learned'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I am knowing the answer.' Correct: 'I know the answer.'
- Incorrect: 'Can you know to drive?' Correct: 'Do you know how to drive?'
- Incorrect: 'I know to solve this.' Correct: 'I know how to solve this.'
- Incorrect use of tense: 'Did you knew him?' Correct: 'Did you know him?'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'know' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'know' is primarily a stative verb. It describes a state of awareness or possession of information, not an action. Therefore, continuous/progressive forms (e.g., 'I am knowing') are very rarely used and are typically incorrect.
'Know' on its own refers to possessing information or being acquainted with something/someone. 'Know how to' is used specifically to talk about skills or the ability to do something. For example, 'I know the rules' (information) vs. 'I know how to play' (skill).
Almost never. Because it is a stative verb, the simple past 'knew' is used. The past continuous 'was knowing' might be found in highly specific literary or poetic contexts to create a unique effect, but it is not used in standard English.
The structure is 'know + object + to-infinitive'. This is formal and less common than a 'that'-clause. Example: 'I know him to be a reliable person.' (More common: 'I know that he is a reliable person.').
Collections
Part of a collection
Common Questions
A1 · 31 words · Question words and phrases for basic communication.
Daily Verbs
A1 · 50 words · Essential action words used in everyday conversation.
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