Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿sabe usted? | |
| ¿sabes? | informal |
This phrase is used to ask if someone possesses specific facts or information. It is derived from the verb saber, which refers to knowing information or knowing how to do something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use ¿sabes? when addressing someone using the familiar "you" (tú), such as friends, family or peers. Use ¿sabe usted? to address someone with respect, such as strangers, elders or in professional settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the phrase ¿vos sabés? is used instead of the standard ¿sabes?
How does it change in a sentence?
¿sabes? uses the second-person singular informal conjugation. ¿sabe usted? uses the third-person singular conjugation to express the formal "you".
When do people say it?
The phrase ¿Sabes qué? is a common conversational filler used to introduce a new thought, similar to the English "You know what?"
Did you know?
- Spanish has two different verbs for 'to know'. While ¿sabes? asks about facts, the verb conocer is used to ask if you are acquainted with a person or a place.
- The formal 'you' in ¿sabe usted? is actually a contraction of 'vuestra merced', which originally meant 'your mercy'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿sabes? can be used as a tag question to seek validation, similar to adding 'right?' at the end of a sentence in English.
Examples in context
- ¿Sabes?Do you know?This sentence is useful for practicing the informal form ¿sabes?Tatoeba #4484509 by cueyayotl, translation #619875 by ulyssemc1
- ¿Sabes cómo llegar a la estación de tren?Do you know how to get to the train station?
- ¿Conoce usted al director de la empresa?Do you know the director of the company?
- Oye, ¿sabes qué día es mañana?Hey, do you know what day it is tomorrow?
- Oye, ¿tú sabes dónde podemos comprar buen café en esta zona?Hey, do you know where we can buy good coffee in this area?
- ¿Sabís si este restaurante está abierto los domingos?Do you know if this restaurant is open on Sundays?
- Che, ¿vos sabés quién ganó el partido anoche?Hey, do you know who won the game last night?
- No te preocupes, ¿sabes? Todo saldrá bien.Don't worry, you know? Everything will be fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “do you know” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries usted, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
