Three Verbs for 'Know': vite, kjenne, kunne

01

vite: Knowing a Fact

vite is used for information: that something is true, where something is, who someone is. It is often followed by a clause, by det (it) or by nothing at all.

• vite - vet - visste - har visst

• Jeg vet ikke hvor jeg la dem.

  I don't know where I put them.

• Hun vet allerede at jeg er syk.

  She already knows that I am ill.

• Jeg vet.

  I know.

02

kjenne: Knowing a Person or a Place

kjenne means being familiar or acquainted with someone or something. It is followed directly by a person, a place or a thing.

• kjenne - kjenner - kjente - har kjent

• Jeg kjenner henne.

  I know her.

• Kjenner du en god restaurant?

  Do you know a good restaurant?

• Jeg kjenner Frankrike.

  I know France.

With igjen (again) it means "recognise".

• Jeg kjente deg ikke igjen.

  I didn't recognise you.

kjenne can also mean "feel" something with the body or the senses.

• Jeg kjenner at jeg er sulten.

  I can feel that I am hungry.

03

kunne: Knowing How

kunne (present kan) means "can", and on its own it means knowing a language, a skill or something learned by heart.

• kunne - kan - kunne - har kunnet

• Jeg kan engelsk og koreansk.

  I speak English and Korean.

• Kan du noen tyske ord?

  Do you know any German words?

• Jeg kan alle sangene deres.

  I know all their songs.

04

Asking with Each Verb

Each verb produces its own everyday question.

• Vet du hva klokka er?

  Do you know what time it is?

• Kjenner du Anna?

  Do you know Anna?

• Kan du norsk?

  Do you speak Norwegian?

05

Side by Side

The same English sentence can need different verbs depending on what is known.

• Jeg vet hvem hun er, men jeg kjenner henne ikke.

  I know who she is, but I don't know her.

• Jeg vet at han kan spansk.

  I know that he speaks Spanish.