Spanish Grammar: Irregular Participles, Saber vs Conocer

Posted on Jun 1, 2026 in Spanish

Participios Irregulares (Irregular Participles)

These are the verbs that do not follow the -ado/-ido rule. You just have to memorize them!

  • Hacer (to do/make) → hecho (done/made)
  • Morir (to die) → muerto (dead/died)
  • Decir (to say/tell) → dicho (said/told)
  • Volver (to return) → vuelto (returned)
  • Abrir (to open) → abierto (opened)
  • Descubrir (to discover) → descubierto (discovered)
  • Romper (to break) → roto (broken)
  • Ver (to see) → visto (seen)
  • Escribir (to write) → escrito (written)
  • Poner (to put/place) → puesto (put/placed)

Using the Present Perfect

  • ¿Alguna vez has [participio]…? = Have you ever [past participle]…?
  • Example: ¿Alguna vez has visitado México? (Have you ever visited Mexico?)
  • Yes: Sí, he visitado México. (Yes, I have visited Mexico.)
    • Optional to sound more natural: Sí, ya he visitado México. (Yes, I have already visited Mexico.)
  • No: No, nunca he visitado México. (No, I have never visited Mexico.)

Saber vs. Conocer

Saber: yo sé, tú sabes, él sabe, nosotros sabemos, vosotros sabéis, ellos saben.

Conocer: yo conozco, tú conoces, él conoce, nosotros conocemos, vosotros conocéis, ellos conocen.

  • SABER (Facts, Info & Skills):
    • Knowing facts/information: Yo sé dónde está la biblioteca. (I know where the library is.)
    • Knowing how to do something (Skill = Saber + Infinitive): Yo sé nadar. (I know how to swim.)
  • CONOCER (Familiarity with People & Places):
    • Being familiar with a place or thing: Yo conozco Madrid. (I know/am familiar with Madrid.)
    • Knowing a person (Always use the personal “a” for people!): Yo conozco a tu hermano. (I know your brother.)

Geographic Vocabulary

  • la isla: the island
  • el bosque: the forest / woods
  • el volcán: the volcano
  • la playa: the beach
  • el valle: the valley
  • el desierto: the desert
  • la catarata: the waterfall
  • el iceberg: the iceberg
  • el río: the river
  • la montaña: the mountain
  • la península: the peninsula

Directions

  • a la derecha: to the right
  • a la izquierda: to the left
  • todo recto: straight ahead
  • al final de la calle: at the end of the street
  • al lado de: next to
  • detrás de: behind
  • entre: between

Ordinal Numbers

  • 1º primero / a → Rule: Drops the “o” (primer) before a singular masculine noun (e.g., el primer piso).
  • 2º segundo / a
  • 3º tercero / a → Rule: Drops the “o” (tercer) before a singular masculine noun (e.g., el tercer piso).
  • 4º cuarto / a
  • 5º quinto / a
  • 6º sexto / a
  • 7º séptimo / a
  • 8º octavo / a
  • 9º noveno / a
  • 10º décimo / a

Por vs. Porque vs. Para

Por

  • Meaning: For / Because of / Through.
  • Rule: Used for Cause/Motive (followed by a noun) or Movement through a place.
  • Examples: Viajo por mi trabajo. (I travel for/because of my job.) Camino por el parque. (I walk through the park.)

Porque

  • Meaning: Because.
  • Rule: Explains the reason why. Always followed by a conjugated verb.
  • Example: Viajo porque quiero explorar. (I travel because I want to explore.)

Para

  • Meaning: For / In order to.
  • Rule: Expresses Goal/Purpose (followed by an infinitive verb) or an Opinion (para mí).
  • Examples: Estudio para aprender. (I study in order to learn.) Para mí, es divertido. (For me, it’s fun.)