Cool MatePlease know vs Recognize
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Please know
Top 2,000 (common)
Recognize
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Recognize
| Please know | Recognize | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //pliːz nəʊ//🇺🇸 //pliːz noʊ// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/","/ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To ask someone to understand or be aware of something. | to see or know someone or something again |
| Example | Please know that the meeting has been rescheduled to next week. | I can recognize her voice even when she is not in the room. |
| 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 | immediately, instantly, correctly, learn to, be easy to, as, by, from, clearly, fully, belatedly, must, need to, begin to, as, be commonly recognized, be generally recognized, be universally recognized, clearly, federally, formally, agree to, refuse to, as, be legally recognized, a refusal to recognize 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 'recognize' with 'realize', Using 'recognize' without an object (e.g., 'I recognize' instead of 'I recognize her'), Mixing up tenses, like saying 'recognized' instead of 'recognize' in present situations |
| 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 'recognize' when acknowledging something you already know. It's appropriate for everyday conversations but avoid in situations requiring formal language, like legal documents. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Please know vs Recognize
What's the difference between Please know and Recognize?
Please know: To ask someone to understand or be aware of something. Recognize: to see or know someone or something again
Which is more common: Please know and Recognize?
Recognize 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. Recognize: I can recognize her voice even when she is not in the room.
Can I use Please know and Recognize interchangeably?
Not always. Please know and Recognize 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.