sabia nadar

knew how to swim

→ saber
phrase Rare #27,294
knew how to swim Past tense of saber + infinitive, used to say someone had the ability to swim.
PO: Quando eu era criança, eu sabia nadar muito bem.
EN: When I was a child, I knew how to swim very well.

Você já sabia nadar antes de andar.

You already knew how to swim before you knew how to walk.

— O Refúgio (2026)

Tom me perguntou se eu sabia nadar.

Tom asked me if I knew how to swim.

Tinha trovões, e eu não sabia nadar.

There was thunder, and I didn't know how to swim.

— Roma (2018)

Eu sabia nadar bem quando era um garoto.

I knew how to swim well when I was a boy.

Eu não sabia nadar muito bem.

I couldn't swim very well.

Antônio não notou que Maria não sabia nadar.

Antônio didn't notice that Maria didn't know how to swim.

Como não sabia nadar, preferi não ir à praia.

Since I didn't know how to swim, I preferred not to go to the beach.

Tom não me disse que não sabia nadar.

Tom didn't tell me he didn't know how to swim.

Ela sabia nadar antes de completar cinco anos.

She knew how to swim before she turned five.

Meu pai sabia nadar bem quando era jovem.

My father was a good swimmer when he was young.