Kennen vs Weten: The Two Dutch Verbs for “To Know”
Dutch splits the English verb know into two: kennen and weten. It’s the same split German makes with kennen and wissen, and French with connaître and savoir. The rule is easy once you see the test for it.
The short version
- Kennen means to be familiar with a person, place, or thing. It needs a direct object.
- Weten means to know a fact. It’s the verb you use when a piece of information follows.
The reliable test: if a small clause follows — dat (that), of (whether), wie, waarom, hoe — use weten. Kennen can’t take a clause like that.
Kennen in action
- A person: Ik ken haar. (I know her.)
- A place: Ik ken Amsterdam.
- A thing you’re familiar with: Ik ken dat liedje. (I know that song.)
Weten in action
- A fact with a clause: Ik weet dat ze komt. (I know that she’s coming.)
- A fact standing in for “it”: Ik weet het. (I know.)
- A question word: Weet jij hoe laat het is? (Do you know what time it is?)
Quick chart
| Kennen | Weten |
|---|---|
| People — Ik ken hem. | Facts — Ik weet het antwoord. |
| Places — Ken je Utrecht? | That/whether — Ik weet dat het waar is. |
| Familiar things — Ik ken dat boek. | Question words — Weet je waarom? |
The mistakes to watch for
With a person, always kennen — Ik weet haar is wrong. With a fact, always weten — Ik ken dat ze komt is wrong. Present tense: ik ken / jij kent / hij kent / wij kennen, and ik weet / jij weet / hij weet / wij weten.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between kennen and weten?
Kennen is being familiar with someone or something and needs a direct object. Weten is knowing a fact and can be followed by a clause (dat, of, hoe).
Do you use kennen or weten for a person?
Kennen. Ik ken Anna. You can’t say Ik weet Anna.
Is it “ik ken” or “ik weet”?
Familiarity with a noun takes ik ken; a fact or a following clause takes ik weet.
Does kennen need an object?
Yes. Kennen always takes a direct object and can’t be followed by a subordinate clause.
Check your Dutch before you send it
Paste your writing into corrector.co‘s free Dutch checker to catch kennen/weten slips, spelling, and word order in seconds.
Next: De vs Het · Dutch word order
