# knew

/ˈnju/ (US) · /njˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/knew
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. past participle (nonstandard)

verb · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Informal

a different way to say 'known' in some local styles of speaking.

For teachers: the past participle of 'know' in specific nonstandard dialects or colloquial registers.

- He said he should have knew better than to leave his bike unlocked.
- In certain regional dialects, speakers might say they have 'knew' a person for years, though 'known' remains the required form in all formal writing.

Usage: Used in place of the standard 'known' in perfect tenses or passive constructions within specific regional dialects.

## Examples

- I knew the answer to the question.
- She knew the city well because she had lived there for ten years during her childhood.
- Although the evidence was circumstantial, the detective knew instinctively that the suspect was hiding a much larger secret than he initially admitted.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.