By the end of this lesson you'll be able to use both French verbs for "to know", and choose the right one for what you mean.
Two verbs for one English word
English has only "know". French splits it in two. Savoir is about knowing facts and how to do things. Connaître is about being familiar with people, places and things.
They're both irregular, like the verbs in the lesson on common irregular verbs.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| savoir | sah-VWAHR | to know (facts, how to do something) |
| je sais / tu sais / il sait | zhuh SEH / tew SEH / eel SEH | I know / you know / he knows |
| nous savons / vous savez / ils savent | noo sah-VOHN / voo sah-VAY / eel SAHV | we know / you know / they know |
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| connaître | koh-NEH-truh | to know (people, places, things) |
| je connais / tu connais / il connaît | zhuh koh-NEH / tew koh-NEH / eel koh-NEH | I know / you know / he knows |
| nous connaissons / vous connaissez / ils connaissent | noo koh-neh-SOHN / voo koh-neh-SAY / eel koh-NESS | we know / you know / they know |
The il form connaît has a circumflex over the i. It doesn't separate this word from any other. It's a trace of an s that older French had in the word. You'll also see it in the infinitive connaître, and not in other forms.
Savoir
Before an infinitive, savoir means you know how to do something, as a skill.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| nager | nah-ZHAY | to swim |
| Je ne sais pas. | zhuh nuh seh PAH | I don't know. |
Je sais nager.
I know how to swim.
Il sait cuisiner.
He knows how to cook.
Tu sais danser ?
Do you know how to dance?
Before que and a simple sentence, it means you know a fact. Learn this as a pattern for now.
Je sais que tu travailles.
I know that you're working.
Nous savons que Paul est à Lyon.
We know that Paul is in Lyon.
On its own, it's very useful.
Je ne sais pas.
I don't know.
Connaître
Use connaître with a person, a place or a thing you're familiar with. It's always followed directly by a noun or a name.
Je connais Paul.
I know Paul.
Tu connais Lyon ?
Do you know Lyon?
Nous connaissons ce café.
We know this café.
Vous connaissez Madame Roche ?
Do you know Mrs Roche?
Sentences like ce restaurant use the demonstratives from the lesson on ce, cet, cette and ces.
Savoir or pouvoir?
Both verbs can go before an infinitive. They're different, and you know pouvoir from the lesson on pouvoir, vouloir and devoir.
- Je sais nager. (I know how to swim. It's a skill I have.)
- Je peux nager. (I'm able to swim, or I'm allowed to swim. Perhaps the pool is open today.)
Which one do I need?
Most of the time, the word that comes next decides it.
| What comes next | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| an infinitive | savoir | Je sais cuisiner. (I know how to cook.) |
| que and a sentence | savoir | Je sais que Léa est ici. (I know that Léa is here.) |
| nothing | savoir | Je sais ! (I know!) |
| a person | connaître | Je connais Karim. (I know Karim.) |
| a place | connaître | Je connais Nice. (I know Nice.) |
The table covers the patterns in this lesson. As you read more French, you'll see other uses, but these will get you a long way.
En français
- Tu connais Marie ? (Do you know Marie?)
- Oui, je connais Marie. Elle travaille à l'hôpital. (Yes, I know Marie. She works at the hospital.)
- Elle sait nager ? (Does she know how to swim?)
- Je ne sais pas. (I don't know.)
- Nous allons à la piscine samedi. (We're going to the pool on Saturday.)
- Je sais que Marie adore le sport. (I know that Marie loves sport.)
What's next
Next, the lesson on depuis, pendant and il y a shows how to say how long something has lasted. You'll practise both verbs again in the review of this unit.