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SpanishConjugationSubjunctive

Saber (to know) · Subjunctive

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Saber in the Spanish present subjunctive (presente de subjuntivo) is: yo sepa, tú sepas, él/ella/usted sepa, nosotros/as sepamos, vosotros/as sepáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes sepan. The present subjunctive of saber uses the irregular stem 'sep-' — not 'sab-' as you might expect. This is one of a handful of verbs (haber/haya, dar/dé, ir/vaya, ser/sea, estar/esté) whose subjunctive stem doesn't come from the yo form.

saber conjugation in the Present Subjunctive (Presente de subjuntivo)
To KnowSaber
I know
yo sepa
you know
tú sepas
he/she know
él/ella/usted sepa
we know
nosotros/as sepamos
you know
vosotros/as sepáis
they know
ellos/ellas/ustedes sepan
Examples

Saber (to know) in context

Sentences that use saber in the subjunctive. Tap each to hear it.

Mi jefa espera que sepa lo que hago.

My boss hopes that I know what I'm doing.

Es importante que sepas la verdad.

It is important that you know the truth.

Quiero que sepa cuánto le agradezco su ayuda.

I want him/her to know how much I appreciate the help.

Es necesario que sepamos los detalles.

It is necessary that we know the details.

Espero que sepáis la lección para el examen.

I hope you know the lesson for the exam.

Dudo que sepan la respuesta exacta.

I doubt they know the exact answer.

Tip

Working with the subjunctive

The subjunctive isn't a tense — it's a mood. It signals that the speaker views the action as uncertain, desired, or evaluated rather than asserted as fact. Triggers come in four families: WEIRDO (Wishes, Emotion, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá) is the standard mnemonic. When you see "que" after one of these triggers, the verb that follows is almost always subjunctive. The irregular subjunctive stem comes from the yo form of the present indicative — learn "hago" and you know "haga" is the subjunctive stem.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate saber in the present subjunctive?
The present subjunctive of saber is: yo sepa, tú sepas, él/ella/usted sepa, nosotros/as sepamos, vosotros/as sepáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes sepan. The stem 'sep-' is irregular and doesn't derive from the indicative yo form (sé). Memorise it as a unit.
Why is the subjunctive 'sepa' instead of 'saba'?
Most Spanish irregular subjunctive stems come from the yo form of the present indicative (hago → haga, tengo → tenga, digo → diga). Saber breaks this rule — yo 'sé' would predict 'sea', which collides with the subjunctive of ser. Spanish preserved the older Latin-derived stem 'sep-' to keep the two verbs distinct. The same kind of preservation explains haber (haya), dar (dé), ir (vaya), and estar (esté).
When do I need to use the subjunctive of saber?
Use it after triggers of doubt, emotion, will, or impersonal expressions: 'Espero que sepas la respuesta' (I hope you know the answer), 'Dudo que sepan' (I doubt they know), 'Es importante que sepas nadar' (It's important you know how to swim). Indirect commands also use the subjunctive: 'Que lo sepa él' (Let him know it).
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More verbs in subjunctive

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Saber (to know)
subjunctive
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subjunctive
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