"Mis padres conocen Alemania."

Translation: My parents know Germany.

[VinayakGar7]

What does knowing a country mean?

[Nancy932168]

Being familiar with it.

[Michael307373]

Just to clarify... being 'familiar' with a country means you know your way around geographically and culturally.

[AlastairRae]

Why is it not "a Alemania". All the other conocer sentences have it.

[Dugggg]

When you know a person you have to use the personal a. But not with things like countries

[promita9]

That solves my confusion. Thanks.

[SofijaRoga]

Because personal a is also used for moving. Example Yo voy a mi casa. I am going to my home/house. And here you don't go anywhere, so it's out. Also personal a is used for persons. Example Yo veo a Luís. I see Luís.

[RyagonIV]

If you're talking about a movement to a place, that a is not the "personal a" anymore.

[JorgeIlltyd]

What is wrong with My parents are familiar with Germany?

[RyagonIV]

Jorge, there's nothing wrong with that translation.

[pacificooceans]

sounds like they know a person named Germany. : -)

[Zina77997]

"Germany" is not a language so this statement is confusing.

[BarbaraMon385640]

Just means they are familiar with Germany, the country.

[full_boar]

This is a strange sentence. "My parents know Germany well" would sound more natural.

[Michael307373]

Not necessarily. I could say 'I know math.' Same sentence structure... same idea. Besides, this sentence says they only know Germany... but not necessarily 'bien'.

[navethechimp]

No one would say this English statement, ever.

[RyagonIV]

Nave, I don't think Germany is that unpopular.

[mo0PT8]

My parents know what about Germany??

[RyagonIV]

They know what it's like because they have been there.

[patriciaju98445]

Why can't it be My parents are familiar with Germany?

[RyagonIV]

Patricia, you're free to translate it that way, but it's a little wordy.

[JessicaSch190702]

But then it's marked wrong.

[wapani]

I put 'are familiar with' and it was marked wrong.

[steve_forge]

With places that's might be familiar with but it's show wrong

[Richard245856]

So how do you say "My parents know German." Its differnt from "My parents speak German."

[IraSoullie]

I thought they were saying, My parents know German.

[evelynkham]

ALEMANIA-COUNTRY OR LANGUAGE?

[Dugggg]

Alemania is the country. Alemán is the language.

[RyagonIV]

Alemania is the name of the country (notice that it's always capitalised), and alemán would be the adjective and the name of the language (usually spelt in lowercase).

[XX7675]

Why don’t you put “a” before Alemania?

[RyagonIV]

Germany is not a person.

[XX7675]

Ah. Thanks.