Mi amiga sabe freír un huevo sin mucho aceite.

My friend knows how to fry an egg with little oil.

Breakdown of Mi amiga sabe freír un huevo sin mucho aceite.

• un: a
• mi: my
• la amiga: the friend
• saber: to know

Questions & Answers about Mi amiga sabe freír un huevo sin mucho aceite.

Why is it sabe freír and not puede freír?

• saber + infinitive = to know how to do something (a learned skill).
• poder + infinitive = can/be able to, due to circumstances, permission, physical ability, etc.
• You often contrast them: Mi amiga sabe freír un huevo, pero hoy no puede porque no hay aceite.

Do I need a preposition after saber here?

• No. With the meaning “know how to,” it’s simply saber + infinitive: sabe freír.
• If you add a (saber a), it changes meaning to “taste like”: La tortilla sabe a aceite.

What’s going on with the accent in freír, and how is it conjugated?

• The infinitive is freír (accent on í) to keep the vowel sound separate.
• Present indicative: yo frío, tú fríes, él/ella fríe, nosotros freímos, vosotros freís, ellos fríen.
• Gerund: friendo.
• Past participles: both frito and freído are accepted. As an adjective, frito is standard: huevos fritos. With haber, both occur: he frito / he freído.
• Preterite (for reference): freí, freíste, frió, freímos, freísteis, frieron.
• Tip: frío (I fry) has an accent; frio (no accent) means “cold.”