kennen
know
Wenn man etwas oder jemanden schon einmal gesehen hat oder darüber Bescheid weiß.
Definition & meaning
The verb kennen means "to know" or "to be acquainted with." It is primarily used to describe familiarity with people, places, or things through direct experience, observation, or perception.
- Familiarity with a person or entity: Knowing someone personally or having met them.
- Familiarity with a place or object: Being aware of the existence of a place or having knowledge of a specific object or concept.
- Internal knowledge: Having knowledge about a specific topic, situation, or field of expertise (e.g., "to know the ropes").
Note: In German, there is a strict distinction between kennen (familiarity through experience) and wissen (knowledge of facts).
Grammar & Word origin
kennen is a weak, irregular verb in German.
- Present tense (ich kenne, du kennst, er/sie/es kennt...)
- Past tense (Präteritum): ich kannte
- Perfect tense: ich habe gekannt
The verb traces back to the Old High German word kennan, related to the Proto-Germanic kannjanan ("to make known" or "to recognize"). It shares a common root with the English word "know" and the German noun Kenntnis .
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- wissen (only in the context of being familiar with a fact or subject matter)
- vertraut sein mit
- erkennen (to recognize)
- bescheid wissen
Antonyms:
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Examples
Er kennt die Antwort nicht.verb
He doesn't know the answer.
Er kennt das Buch.verb
He knows the book.
Er kennt den Weg.verb
He knows the way.
Er kennt den Mann.verb
He knows the man.
Wir kennen ihn sehr gut.verb
We know him very well.
Du kennst Maria schon lange.verb
You have known Maria for a long time.
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