conhecer

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

From older conhocer, from Old Galician-Portuguese connocer, from Latin cognōscere.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /kõ.ɲeˈse(ʁ)/ [kõ.j̃eˈse(h)]
    • (São Paulo) IPA(key): /kõ.ɲeˈse(ɾ)/ [kõ.j̃eˈse(ɾ)]
    • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA(key): /kõ.ɲeˈse(ʁ)/ [kõ.j̃eˈse(χ)]
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ko.ɲeˈse(ɻ)/
 
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ku.ɲɨˈseɾ/
    • (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /ku.ɲɨˈse.ɾi/

  • (Northeast Brazil) IPA(key): /ko.ɲeˈse(h)/
    • (without vowel harmony) IPA(key): /ko.ɲɛˈse(h)/
  • (Rural Central Brazil) IPA(key): /ku.ɲiˈse(ɹ)/
  • Hyphenation: co‧nhe‧cer

Verb

conhecer (first-person singular present conheço, first-person singular preterite conheci, past participle conhecido)

  1. (transitive) to know (be acquainted or familiar with)
    Antonym: desconhecer
    Não conheço esse livro.I don’t know this book.
  2. (transitive) to meet; to get to know (to become acquainted with)
    Venha cá, quero que você conheça meu primo.Come here, I want you to meet my cousin.
    • 2012, Luís Fernando Veríssimo, “A tática da bolsa”, in Diálogos Impossíveis, Rio de Janeiro: Editora Objetiva, →ISBN, page 119:
      A Jussara estava a fim de um cara e bolou um plano para conhecê-lo. Ou para ele a conhecer.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  3. (transitive) to know (someone/something) (to ascribe to something the title or quality of) [with direct object ‘someone/something’, along with como or por ‘as someone/something else’]
    Essa espécie é conhecida como Tringa totanus.This species is known as Tringa totanus.
  4. (transitive) to visit a place for the first time
    Seu sonho era conhecer Paris.His dream was to visit Paris.
    Conheces Londres?Have you been to London?
  5. (archaic, transitive) to know (have sexual relations with)
    Synonyms: fazer sexo com, transar com, (euphemistic) dormir com, (vulgar) foder, (slang) comer
  6. (intransitive, law) to hear (to consider on its merits) [with de ‘an appeal or request’]
    O juiz decidiu conhecer do pedido.
    The judge decided to hear the request.

Conjugation

Further reading