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Portuguese Phrase

Já nos conhecemos?

/ʒa ˈnoʃ koˈɲe.se.mus/
Meaning"Have we met before?"
💡

Meaning

The speaker is asking whether they have already met before. It can be used when you think you might have crossed paths previously but are not sure.

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When to use

Use this question the first time you see someone you suspect you have met earlier – at a party, a class, or a work event. It works in informal and semi‑formal settings; in very formal contexts you might say 'Já nos encontramos antes?'.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Jánosconhecemos?

1

Já

Adverb meaning 'already'; placed at the beginning of the sentence to ask about a prior event.

2

nos

Reflexive pronoun meaning 'each other' or 'ourselves' when the verb is reciprocal.

3

conhecemos

First‑person plural present of the verb conhecer (to know/meet). In questions with 'já' it refers to a past encounter.

4

Present tense with já

Portuguese often uses the present indicative together with 'já' to talk about something that may have already happened.

🗨In Conversation

A

Oi, eu sou a Ana. Já nos conhecemos?

Hi, I'm Ana. Have we met before?

Acho que sim, nos vimos na festa da Maria na semana passada.

I think so, we saw each other at Maria's party last week.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Já conhecemos?

    Leaving out 'nos' changes the meaning to 'Do we already know (something)?' rather than 'each other'.

  • Nos já conhecemos?

    Placing 'já' after the verb ('Nos já conhecemos?') is ungrammatical in Portuguese.

  • Já nos conhecemos ontem?

    Using the past perfect 'conhecemos' without 'já' sounds odd; the present with 'já' is the idiomatic form.

↔Alternatives

  • Já nos vimos?

    Have we seen each other?

  • Já nos encontramos?

    Have we met?

  • Já nos conhecemos antes?

    Have we met before?

pt

Cultural Tip

In Brazil, using 'já' with the present tense is the most natural way to ask about a previous encounter. The reciprocal pronoun 'nos' makes it clear you are talking about a mutual meeting, not just knowing a fact. In very formal written Portuguese you might replace the question with 'Já nos encontramos anteriormente?'. Also, avoid using 'conhecer' for a brief greeting; 'encontrar' or 'ver' is preferred when you only saw the person briefly.