Introduction
desconocer means “to not know, to be unaware of”. It belongs to the group of Spanish verbs that express “to not know, to be unaware of”, and once you can conjugate it you can say a surprising amount with a single verb. This page is the complete reference for desconocer: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, with notes on usage, real example sentences, common mistakes, a quiz and frequently asked questions. desconocer is a irregular -er verb. If it is irregular in a tense, the note under that table says so plainly, and the forms in the table are the correct ones — copy them, do not guess them from the infinitive. A first example to fix the verb in your mind: “Yo desconozco la respuesta todos los días.” — “I not know the answer.”
Quick facts
| Infinitive | desconocer |
| English | to not know, to be unaware of |
| Verb type | Irregular -er verb |
| Gerund | desconociendo |
| Past participle | desconocido |
| Auxiliary verb | haber |
Full conjugation tables
Gerund: desconociendo · Past participle: desconocido
Present Indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconozco |
| tú | desconoces |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconoce |
| nosotros/as | desconocemos |
| vosotros/as | desconocéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocen |
The present tense describes habits, facts and what is happening now. For desconocer, the yo form is desconozco, as in “Yo desconozco la respuesta.” — “I not know the answer.”
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconocí |
| tú | desconociste |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconoció |
| nosotros/as | desconocimos |
| vosotros/as | desconocisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocieron |
The preterite describes completed actions in the past — things that started and finished. For desconocer, the yo form is desconocí, as in “Yo desconocí la respuesta.” — “I noted know the answer.”
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconocía |
| tú | desconocías |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconocía |
| nosotros/as | desconocíamos |
| vosotros/as | desconocíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocían |
The imperfect describes the past as background: habits, descriptions and actions in progress. For desconocer, the yo form is desconocía, as in “Yo desconocía la respuesta.” — “I used to not know the answer.”
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconoceré |
| tú | desconocerás |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconocerá |
| nosotros/as | desconoceremos |
| vosotros/as | desconoceréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocerán |
The future tense states what will happen. It is also used for predictions and promises. For desconocer, the yo form is desconoceré, as in “Yo desconoceré la respuesta.” — “I will not know the answer.”
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconocería |
| tú | desconocerías |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconocería |
| nosotros/as | desconoceríamos |
| vosotros/as | desconoceríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocerían |
The conditional expresses what would happen: wishes, polite requests and hypothetical results. For desconocer, the yo form is desconocería, as in “Yo desconocería la respuesta.” — “I would not know the answer.”
Present Perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he desconocido |
| tú | has desconocido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha desconocido |
| nosotros/as | hemos desconocido |
| vosotros/as | habéis desconocido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han desconocido |
The present perfect connects the past with the present: something that has happened, often today or recently. For desconocer, the yo form is he desconocido, as in “Yo he desconocido la respuesta.” — “I have noted know the answer.”
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había desconocido |
| tú | habías desconocido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había desconocido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos desconocido |
| vosotros/as | habíais desconocido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían desconocido |
The pluperfect describes an event that happened before another past event. For desconocer, the yo form is había desconocido, as in “Yo había desconocido la respuesta.” — “I had noted know the answer.”
Future Perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré desconocido |
| tú | habrás desconocido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá desconocido |
| nosotros/as | habremos desconocido |
| vosotros/as | habréis desconocido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán desconocido |
The future perfect describes something that will already be finished by a future moment. For desconocer, the yo form is habré desconocido, as in “Yo habré desconocido la respuesta.” — “I will have noted know the answer.”
Conditional Perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría desconocido |
| tú | habrías desconocido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría desconocido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos desconocido |
| vosotros/as | habríais desconocido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían desconocido |
The conditional perfect describes what would have happened under different conditions. For desconocer, the yo form is habría desconocido, as in “Yo habría desconocido la respuesta.” — “I would have noted know the answer.”
Present Subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconozca |
| tú | desconozcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconozca |
| nosotros/as | desconozcamos |
| vosotros/as | desconocáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconozcan |
The present subjunctive is used after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and influence. For desconocer, the yo form is desconozca, as in “Espero que yo desconozca la respuesta.” — “I hope that I not know the answer.”
Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desconociera |
| tú | desconocieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | desconociera |
| nosotros/as | desconociéramos |
| vosotros/as | desconocierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desconocieran |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past versions of subjunctive clauses, and after "si" in hypothetical sentences. For desconocer, the yo form is desconociera, as in “Si yo desconociera la respuesta, ...” — “If I noted know the answer, ...”
The -se variant of this tense follows the same pattern with -se instead of -ra: desconociera becomes desconociese, and the same change applies to every person. Both variants mean the same thing; -ra is more common in everyday speech.
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | desconoce |
| Ud. | desconozca |
| nosotros/as | desconozcamos |
| vosotros/as | desconoced |
| Uds. | desconozcan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | desconozcas |
| Ud. | desconozca |
| nosotros/as | desconozcamos |
| vosotros/as | desconocáis |
| Uds. | desconozcan |
The imperative is for orders, requests and advice. The affirmative tú form is desconoce, as in “¡Desconoce la respuesta” — “Not know the answer” For the negative imperative, Spanish uses the subjunctive forms: no desconozcas. Note that the affirmative and negative forms differ, so check the table above before you give an order with desconocer.
Example sentences
Here are ten sentences with desconocer, covering different tenses and persons. Read each one out loud, then read the translation, and notice how the verb form changes while the meaning stays the same.
- “Yo desconozco la respuesta cada día.” — “I not know the answer.”
- “Él desconoce la respuesta todos los días.” — “He nots know the answer.”
- “Yo desconocí la respuesta ayer.” — “I noted know the answer.”
- “Él desconoció la respuesta ayer.” — “He noted know the answer.”
- “Yo desconocía la respuesta cuando era joven.” — “I used to not know the answer.”
- “Nosotros desconoceremos la respuesta mañana.” — “We will not know the answer.”
- “Si pudiera, yo desconocería la respuesta.” — “If I could, i would not know the answer.”
- “Yo he desconocido la respuesta hoy.” — “I have noted know the answer.”
- “Espero que yo desconozca la respuesta.” — “I hope that I not know the answer.”
- “estoy desconociendo la respuesta ahora mismo.” — “I am noting know the answer.”
Common mistakes
Using the unchanged stem
Learners often write desconoco for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is desconozco. Because desconocer changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo desconozco la respuesta — until the changed stem feels natural.
Forgetting the accent in the preterite
The yo preterite form is desconocí, with an accent on the stressed vowel. Writing it without the accent — desconoci — is a spelling error, and in speech the stress lands in the wrong place. Preterite yo forms that end in a vowel carry that accent, so check it every time you write the preterite of desconocer.
Using ser instead of haber in perfect tenses
Spanish perfect tenses always use haber, never ser: yo he desconocido la respuesta. English speakers sometimes reach for soy because English uses to be in some passives, but soy desconocido is not the present perfect of desconocer — it is a passive construction with a different meaning.
Confusing desconocer with descubrir
desconocer and descubrir look similar, and learners mix them up. They are different verbs with different meanings, so check which one the sentence needs before you conjugate. If you can substitute the English meaning of desconocer — not know — the sentence needs desconocer; if it needs the meaning of descubrir, use that verb instead.
Using the indicative after "espero que"
After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo desconozca la respuesta. Using the indicative — Espero que yo desconozco — is one of the most frequent learner errors with desconocer. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.
Quiz
Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.
1. What is the yo form of desconocer in the present?
- A. desconoces
- B. desconoce
- C. desconocemos
- D. desconozco
2. What is the tu form of desconocer in the preterite?
- A. desconocimos
- B. desconociste
- C. desconocí
- D. desconoció
3. What is the el form of desconocer in the imperfect?
- A. desconocías
- B. desconocíamos
- C. desconocíais
- D. desconocía
4. What is the nosotros form of desconocer in the future?
- A. desconocerá
- B. desconoceremos
- C. desconoceré
- D. desconocerás
5. What is the vosotros form of desconocer in the present perfect?
- A. he desconocido
- B. has desconocido
- C. ha desconocido
- D. habéis desconocido
6. What is the ellos form of desconocer in the present subjunctive?
- A. desconozca
- B. desconozcan
- C. desconozca
- D. desconozcas
7. What is the yo form of desconocer in the preterite?
- A. desconociste
- B. desconoció
- C. desconocimos
- D. desconocí
8. What is the tu form of desconocer in the imperfect?
- A. desconocíamos
- B. desconocías
- C. desconocía
- D. desconocía
9. What is the el form of desconocer in the future?
- A. desconoceré
- B. desconocerás
- C. desconoceremos
- D. desconocerá
10. What is the nosotros form of desconocer in the conditional?
- A. desconocería
- B. desconoceríamos
- C. desconocería
- D. desconocerías
Answer key
- desconozco — The present table gives yo = desconozco.
- desconociste — The preterite table gives tu = desconociste.
- desconocía — The imperfect table gives el = desconocía.
- desconoceremos — The future table gives nosotros = desconoceremos.
- habéis desconocido — The present perfect table gives vosotros = habéis desconocido.
- desconozcan — The present subjunctive table gives ellos = desconozcan.
- desconocí — The preterite table gives yo = desconocí.
- desconocías — The imperfect table gives tu = desconocías.
- desconocerá — The future table gives el = desconocerá.
- desconoceríamos — The conditional table gives nosotros = desconoceríamos.
Frequently asked questions
Is desconocer regular or irregular?
desconocer is a irregular -er verb. It follows the regular patterns for its ending in every tense. The tables on this page show the correct form for every person, so use them rather than guessing.
What is the past participle of desconocer?
The past participle of desconocer is desconocido. You use it with haber in the perfect tenses — he desconocido, había desconocido, habré desconocido — and after estar in passive-style descriptions. It is the regular participle for its verb class. Learn it together with the gerund desconociendo and you have the two non-finite forms covered.
What is the gerund of desconocer?
The gerund of desconocer is desconociendo. You use it with estar to describe an action in progress, as in estoy desconociendo, and after verbs such as seguir and ir. Keep it distinct from the past participle desconocido, which belongs with haber, not with estar.
What is the yo form of desconocer in the present?
The yo form is desconozco — “Yo desconozco la respuesta.” means “I not know the answer.” That is the form you will use most often when you talk about yourself. For other persons, use the present table above: tú desconoces, él desconoce, nosotros desconocemos, ellos desconocen.
What is the difference between desconocer and descubrir?
desconocer means “to not know, to be unaware of”, while descubrir means “to discover”. They share letters and sometimes a root, but they are different verbs. If your sentence means “to not know, to be unaware of”, use desconocer; if it is about the meaning of descubrir, use descubrir instead. Checking the English meaning first prevents most mix-ups.
Related links
- desconocer in the present tense — the full present-tense page for this verb.
- desconocer examples and quiz — more sentences, dialogues and a second quiz.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub with every verb on VerbFlow.
- Spanish irregular verbs — the full list of irregular verbs, grouped by pattern.
- descubrir conjugation — another verb in the same family.
- desarrollar conjugation — another verb in the same family.
- describir conjugation — another verb in the same family.
- Verb conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb instantly.
- Verb quiz — practise conjugations with timed questions.