Question 1

How do we get the form conozca from the verb conocer?

Accepted Answer

Conozca is the present subjunctive. To make this form, we start with the irregular I form in the present indicative: conozco (I know). We drop the -o, and because conocer is an -er verb, we add the opposite ending -a. This same rule applies to other irregulars you are learning now, like tenga from tengo or haga from hago.

Question 2

Why are we using the subjunctive conozca instead of the normal present tense conoce?

Accepted Answer

The trigger here is temo que (I fear that). Verbs that express emotions or feelings, like fear, joy, or sadness, require the subjunctive in the second part of the sentence whenever the subject changes. Here, the subject changes from I (temo) to she (ella).

Question 3

I always mix up saber and conocer. Why is it conozca here and not sepa?

Accepted Answer

You use conocer when talking about being familiar with or having visited a place, person, or thing. Since we are talking about her familiarity with la ciudad (the city), we use conocer. You would use saber, whose subjunctive is sepa, for knowing facts, information, or how to do something.

Question 4

Why is the pronoun ella included? Couldn't we just say Temo que no conozca la ciudad?

Accepted Answer

You could drop it, but it might cause confusion. In the present subjunctive, the first-person and third-person singular share the exact same form: conozca can mean I know, he knows, she knows, or you formal know. Including ella makes it perfectly clear who it is that doesn't know the city.

Temo que ella no conozca la ciudad.

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