Sé un poco
/se un poko/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I know a little" is translated into Spanish as Sé un poco.
This phrase is used to express that you possess a small amount of knowledge regarding a specific subject or a particular language.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sé (I know), un (a) and poco (little).
Which one should you use?
Use Sé un poco to indicate a small amount of knowledge, whereas Lo sé todo would mean "I know it all".
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are specifying a subject or a language, you must follow Sé un poco with the preposition de to mean "I know a little of/about".
Did you know?
- Spanish uses the verb saber for the 'know' in Sé un poco, but it switches to conocer if you 'know a little' about a person or a place.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying Sé un poco about a language you actually speak well is used as a social gesture of modesty to avoid appearing boastful.
- The word sé is a homonym in Spanish. Depending on the context, it can mean 'I know' or it can be the imperative form of the verb ser, meaning 'be'.
Examples in context
- Sé un poco de francés.I know a little French.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Sé un poco with a language.Tatoeba #2451708 by hayastan, translation #2451645 by CK
- Sé un poco de húngaro.I know a little Hungarian.Tatoeba #11760614 by Seael, translation #10642418 by Cabo
- Sé un poco acerca de Shakespeare.I know a little about Shakespeare.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Sé un poco with a subject.Tatoeba #2081643 by marcelostockle, translation #253867 by CK
- Tengo un conocimiento básico de español.I have a basic knowledge of Spanish.
- Sé algo de español.I know something of Spanish.
- Sé un poco de francésI know a little French
- Sé algo de italianoI know something of Italian
- Sé poquito españolI know a little bit of Spanish
- Sé un poco de español. ¿Podrías ayudarme a practicar?I know a little Spanish. Could you help me practice?
Example conversation
María and Mateo are discussing their language skills.
- MaríaMateo, ¿hablas español?Mateo, do you speak Spanish?
- MateoSí, sé un poco.Yes, I know a little.
- María¡Qué bien! Podemos practicar juntos.That's great! We can practice together.
- MateoMe parece una idea excelente.That sounds like an excellent idea.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
