Both savoir and connaître are translated as to know in English. But in French, they mean slightly different things. Both verbs are irregular.
Let’s start with savoir. It is used when you know information, a fact, or how to do something.
Look at the conjugation of savoir in the present tense below and listen to its pronunciation.
|
Savoir |
|
|---|---|
| Je | sais |
| Tu | sais |
| Il/ Elle/ On | sait |
| Nous | savons |
| Vous | savez |
| Ils/ Elles | savent |
When savoir used in front of a noun, it means you know (or don’t know) a fact about something or someone. Look at and listen to the examples below.
Je sais l’heure qu’il est actuellement (currently). Je ne
sais pas l’heure à laquelle aura lieu l’examen (when will
the exam take place).
Je sais ma leçon par cœur (by heart).
Tu sais que c’est un examen difficile, donc tu as aussi
étudié (you studied), et nous savons que nous allons
réussir.
Je sais conduire une voiture, mais mon frère ne le sait pas.
Il sait conduire une moto.
Il sait aussi utiliser un vélo mais il préfère la moto.
Do you know how to conjugate savoir in the present tense? Find out in the following activity. First, listen to the audio, then fill in the blank in each sentence with the correct form of the verb from the Word Bank.
Word Bank
- sait
- sais
- savons
- savez
- savent
- savoir
Vous parler français?
Oui, je le parler un peu. Nous qu’il faut apprendre beaucoup de vocabulaire pour comprendre un langage.
Mes parents parler trois langues. Mon père l’italien, l’anglais et l’espagnol.
How did you do? Since savoir is irregular, it’s important to memorize its conjugation.
The other verb that means “to know” is connaître. It also expresses knowledge, but you use it to mean that you know or are familiar with someone, some place or something. You might use it to talk about how well you know a series of books or a singer’s albums, for example.
Look at and listen to the conjugation of connaître in the present tense.
|
Connaître |
|
|---|---|
| Je | connais |
| Tu | connais |
| Il/ Elle/ On | connaît |
| Nous | connaissons |
| Vous | connaissez |
| Ils/ Elles | connaissent |
Let’s look at a few examples to see how connaître is used. You can use it in front of a person.
Je connais ta petite amie. Nous nous connaissons car nous étions à l’école ensemble. Je connais aussi tes parents, car ils étaient professeurs dans mon lycée.
You can use it in front of places.
Nous connaissons très bien la ville de Paris, car c’est dans cette ville que nous avons grandi (that we grew up). Je connais mieux le quartier des Marais que ma sœur, car mon école était (was) là. Mes parents voulaient vivre à Paris car c’est la ville qu’ils connaissent le mieux en France.
Finally, you can use connaître in front of bodies of work, such as books, pieces of music, paintings, etc. Look at and listen to the examples below.
Connaissez-vous Les Misérables de Victor Hugo? Je connais Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) beaucoup mieux. Mon frère connaît les romans de Charles de Baudelaire mieux que ceux de Victor Hugo.
Think you understand when to use savoir and when to use connaître? Let’s find out! For each sentence, select the correct verb to fill the blank.
Which one?
Je ___ jouer du piano.
Savoir is used in front of infinitive to say you can or can’t do something.
Savoir is used in front of infinitive to say you can or can’t do something.
Savoir is used in front of infinitive to say you can or can’t do something.
Il ___ toutes les chansons des Beatles.
Connaître is used with bodies of work.
Connaître is used with bodies of work.
Connaître is used with bodies of work.
Vous ___ que Paris est la capitale de la France.
Savoir is used when we know a fact about something.
Savoir is used when we know a fact about something.
Savoir is used when we know a fact about something.
Nous ___ Madame Sanchez, c’est notre professeur d’espagnol.
Connaître is used when we know or are familiar with someone.
Connaître is used when we know or are familiar with someone.
Connaître is used when we know or are familiar with someone.
Ils ___ tous les livres d’Albert Camus.
Connaître is used in front of bodies of work.
Connaître is used in front of bodies of work.
Connaître is used in front of bodies of work.
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How did you do? If you got them all right, great job! If you missed a couple, review the rules on when to use these verbs.
