Wiedzieć,Umieć and Znać When does one use the verb(s)?

Wiedzieć ... Umieć ... Znać ...

When does one use the verb(s)?

Can I use 'Wiedzieć' after question words ... 'wiem, że' / 'gdzie' / 'kiedy' / 'ile' / 'jak'.

np - 'Czy wiesz, gdzie jest Poznan?'
For the reply, can I say 'wiem, tak'.

For 'umiec' can I use them with verbs,

np - czy umiesz pływać?
For the response, can I say 'Tak, umiem'.

For 'Znać' when can I use it? Is there a pattern?

np - 'znam trochę język polskiego'.???

Is there a set rule for using the above verbs ...

tak always should be first tak, wiem


We use znać mainly when talking about people Do you know him/her? not languages.
Average Pole would say Mówisz po angielsku? Tak, trochę.

Cheers Peter

Teraz wiem!?! :-/

wiedzieć - to know
umieć - can, to be able to do something
znać - to be familiar with


yes, yes, and yes. The only correction is: znam trochę język polski.

A side note: in questions like "Czy umiesz pływać?" czy is usually omitted in everyday language.
Umiesz pływać?
Wiesz, gdzie jest Poznań?
sound more natural.

Wiedzieć is about single pieces of information:
wiem, kto jest prezydentem USA
wiem, gdzie leży Kilimandżaro
wiem, że Paweł złamał nogę.
(wiem = I am aware that...)

Znać is for first-hand experience.
It's always used for people: it's znam go, never wiem go :)
Also for places: znam Poznań - I've been there and know the place first-hand.
Znam matematykę, chemię, hiszpański, włoski.
Znam to - when talking about experiences: been there, done that.


Languages too, it's perfectly fine. Znam niemiecki, nie znam łaciny.

fantastyczna strzyga!

You've been so so so helpful. Thanks you two. :-)

Yeah. When glorify oneself in CV ;)

"Umiem" is sh.t. word, better to say "potrafię" :) for ex. u can use this word always when you know how "to do sth" . Use it with verbs.

"wiem" - to know something. Umiem/potrafię has the same meaning as "wiem jak" (I know how...) sometimes, usually when you know how "to do sth" :D

"wiem co zrobić- I know what to do
"znać"- to know somebody or place (or meaning of word, etc)

umiem/potrafię mówić po polsku - verb
umiem/potrafię robić zakupy - verb
umiem/potrafię kochać się cały dzień :D - verb lol

to be familiar with:
Znam angelski - language
Znam Warszawę/ to miejsce - city/place
Znam Ciebie/jego/ją/was/ich/ Monikę/Piotra - people
Znam tę muzykę/ten film/tę piosenkę - ??

"wiem'' is almost always use with words "jak, gdzie, kiedy, co, skąd, dokąd, w jaki sposób"

???? why don't you like it?
potrafię is more pompous

"wiem" - ....and with "że"

It's not pompus, "umiem" sound so infantile LOL :). Chrząszcz, don't listen to him !!! :D Listen to me and use "potrafię" ;)

XD

... what a kerfuffle ... :-/

I used 'umiec', as the book I'm working from gives examples of W - U - Z; I had never heard of 'potrafię' but have now [thanks ReservoirDog].

Needless to say it's quite unlikely that I'll be using these [fluently] in conversations just yet ... still getting to grips with vocab etc, but again, all of you have given a huge amount of help. I could use both forms depending on the context I suppose, and compromise.

Really, there's nothing wrong with "umieć", it's just a regular word. The advice ReservoirD is giving you sounds like "never use can in English as it sounds infantile, use be able to" - might be just some idiosyncrasy of his.

I have no idea :D

look under "kartofle" - this is called a visual translation ;)

sorry, I have no idea what that mean :D
O.k feel free to use "umieć"


her

It's UK slang for 'disturbance, commotion, disorder, agitation' or 'fuss'. 'What a fuss' or 'What a kerfuffle'.

I very rarely use this word.

You are excelling Chrzcząsz! Remarkable!

him.... Jestem Anglikiem...

what a kerfuffle ;P

so now let's get it straight:
I know you are male.
But is ReservoirDog female?

(ja) zawsze probuję !

a cookie for putting ja in the parentheses!
but it's better to say: staram się!
:)

I have been sarying 'probuję' for over a year now!!! Does it sound a silly mistake? Thanks for your correction. I'll remember.

[thanks for the cookie - loved it!]


nie znam! (or umiem/potrofię)

*has this gone full circle?* :-)

It's not a mistake strictly speaking - it's understandable but doesn't sound natural, no Pole would say "zawsze próbuję" in this context.

"Próbuję" is rather timid, "staram się" sounds more positive and I think that's what you need :)

great help there.

;=)

yes it has :)
nie wiem - as this is information concerning RD (I don't have the information, I'm not aware of RD's gender).

You can say:
nie znam jej/jego/ich etc.
but you don't know whether I'm female or male or bunch of junkies so you say: "nie wiem" :)

bardzo dobrze Pani ReservoirDog / Pan ReservoirDog / Panswto ReservoirDog. Ale twoim płeć - to nie ma znaczenia...

Ale twoja płeć nie ma znaczenia.

What book(s) are you using Chrzaszcz? You may have said before but I can't remember.

Hi Catsoldier. I'm using mainly:

Hurra!!! Po Polsku 1 - Małgorzata Małolepsza i Aneta Szymkiewicz.
Basic Polish - Dana Bielec.
Polish Verbs - Oscar Swan

(and this forum!).