Three Verbs for 'to Know'

01

znát - to be acquainted with

Znát takes a direct object in the accusative: a person, a place, a book, a song. It means you have met it, been there, or come across it before.

• Znám ji.

  I know her.

• Znáš tu restauraci?

  Do you know that restaurant?

02

vědět - to know a fact

Vědět takes a fact, so it is followed by a clause with že, by a question word, or by the little word to standing in for something already said. It never takes a person as its object.

• Vím, že přijde.

  I know he's coming.

• Nevím, kde to je.

  I don't know where it is.

• To vím.

  I know that.

03

umět - to know how

Umět is about a skill you have learned. It takes an infinitive, or an adverb when the skill is a language.

• Umí hrát na klavír.

  She can play the piano.

• Umím anglicky.

  I speak English.

04

One More Confusion

Umět and moct both come out as English can, but they answer different questions. Umět is whether you have the skill, moct whether the circumstances allow it right now.

• Umím plavat.

  I can swim.

• Dnes nemůžu plavat.

  I can't swim today.

05

Telling Them Apart

Put the three side by side and the division is clear: one knows the singer, one knows a fact about her, one knows how to do what she does.

• Znám tu písničku.

  I know that song.

• Vím, kdo ji zpívá.

  I know who sings it.

• Umím ji zazpívat.

  I can sing it.

A fourth verb, poznat, covers meeting someone for the first time.

• Rád jsem vás poznal.

  Pleased to have met you.