English uses a lot of very close words. If you check Google Translate, they might even be identical in your native language. However, if you want better English, you need to use them correctly. Let’s discuss the difference between know vs. know of vs. know about.
Know is about facts or people
There are a lot of languages where these two ideas, facts or people, are different. We will use it when we know facts like “the answer,” “the speed of light,” or “that you are late for work.”
I knew 100 digits of pi (π) when I was in elementary school.
= I could remember the exact numbers that come after 3.14159…
We will also use it for familiarity or closeness with people.
My husband and I have known each other since we were kids.
= We were familiar with each other since childhood.
Know of is about having experience hearing that something exists
This one is much weaker than know. If we know of something, we have heard it before, but we don’t have deep knowledge. We know that it exists, but we don’t know much beyond that.
I try to prevent my children from knowing of the cruelty in the world.
= I do not let them even know the existence of cruelty.
In this sentence, “knowing the cruelty in the world” seems awkward because it sounds like “cruelty” is an exact fact that we can memorize like a number or sentence.
I know of what’s happening in that country, but I don’t know the details.
= I’ve heard something is happening, but I don’t know deeply.
Know about is about having deep knowledge or expertise on something
This is the deepest knowing you can have. If you know about something, you know the most important details. If you really want to show expertise, you can “know everything about something.”
Most people don’t know about the history of Africa.
= Most people don’t have deep knowledge about African history.
Do you know about Abraham Lincoln?
= Do you have enough knowledge or expertise about Abraham Lincoln?
Summary
- Do you know the president? = Tell me the name of the president /OR/ Is the president your friend?
- Do you know of the president? = Have you ever heard of the president?
- Do you know about the president? = Did you hear the news about the recent event with the president?
Now you should know if “know” is the right word for you, or if it’s a situation better for “know of” vs “know about.” These words are really similar. The difference is subtle. If you practice and get more native input, you will improve.
If you want to learn more about English problems like this one, I have lots more on this website.
To see more about my personal language journey, or to see language learning tips in video form, you can also check out my YouTube channel.
Keep improving your English and one day you will know about the satisfaction of fluent English!
