Cool MatePlease know vs Realize
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Please know
Top 2,000 (common)
Realize
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Realize
| Please know | Realize | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //pliːz nəʊ//🇺🇸 //pliːz noʊ// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈriːəlaɪz//ˈrɪəlaɪz/","/ˈriːəlaɪzɪz//ˈrɪəlaɪzɪz/","/ˈriːəlaɪzd//ˈrɪəlaɪzd/","/ˈriːəlaɪzɪŋ//ˈrɪəlaɪzɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈriːəlaɪz/","/ˈriːəlaɪzɪz/","/ˈriːəlaɪzd/","/ˈriːəlaɪzɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To ask someone to understand or be aware of something. | To understand something clearly. |
| Example | Please know that the meeting has been rescheduled to next week. | I didn't realize how important that meeting was until it was too late. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | please know that, please know how, please know your options | fully, dimly, suddenly, begin to, come to, make somebody, with, without realizing (something) |
| Antonyms | - | ignore, overlook, miss |
| Common mistakes | Using 'please know' too casually in informal situations., Confusing with 'you should know' when the tone should be more polite., Overusing 'please know' can sound repetitive. | Confusing 'realize' with 'realised' in British English., Using 'realize' without an object (e.g. 'I realized that' is correct)., Mixing up 'realize' with 'recognize'; they have different meanings. |
| Usage notes | Use 'please know' when giving important information. It's polite and formal enough for most settings, but it may sound slightly stiff in casual conversations. | Use 'realize' when you come to a new understanding or awareness of something. It's neutral and suitable for both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it in very formal writing where 'become aware of' might be preferred. |
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Frequently asked questions: Please know vs Realize
What's the difference between Please know and Realize?
Please know: To ask someone to understand or be aware of something. Realize: To understand something clearly.
Which is more common: Please know and Realize?
Realize is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Please know: Please know that the meeting has been rescheduled to next week. Realize: I didn't realize how important that meeting was until it was too late.
Can I use Please know and Realize interchangeably?
Not always. Please know and Realize are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.