Savoir vs. Connaître: The Finest Suggestions To Grasp ‘To Know’ in French

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One of many many nuances to grasp in French is differentiating between the 2 verbs for “to know” in French: savoir and connaître. Fortuitously, understanding savoir vs. connaître isn’t as exhausting as you would possibly suppose with a bit assist and easy-to-remember suggestions. This publish will allow you to study when to make use of savoir vs. connaître, their conjugations, and how you can seamlessly combine them into your on a regular basis conversations.

The distinction between savoir and connaître to precise ‘to know’

Each savoir and connaître imply “to know” in French. The principle distinction between the 2 verbs is understanding how you can do one thing (savoir) and being acquainted with one thing (connaître). You’ll want an infinitive verb when utilizing savoir.

Savoir

• Tu sais qu’ils sont en vacances. = that they’re on trip.
• Vous savez quelle heure il est ? = (Do) you recognize what time it’s?

Connaître

• Je sais nager. = I understand how to swim.
• Elles savent bien chanter. = They know the way to sing nicely.
• Il connaît un bon restaurant. = He is aware of (is acquainted with) an excellent restaurant.
• Nous connaissons leur sœur. = We all know (are acquainted with) their sister.

The overall rule of thumb: use savoir when you know the way to do one thing or pertinent information and knowledge. Use connaître when expressing that you just’re acquainted with sure issues, particularly folks and locations.

Savoir conjugation in French

Because it’s one of many most typical French verbs, conjugating savoir will probably be important for efficiently talking French. To specific the information and actions you know the way to do proper now, use the current tense conjugation of savoir:

To say you recognize how to do one thing, merely add the infinitive of the subsequent verb immediately after your savoir conjugation. Bear in mind that you just don’t want so as to add the French phrase remark (how) to exhibit the “how” of the information.

• Tu sais parler français. = You know the way to talk French.
• Nous savons cuisiner. = We all know how to cook dinner.

To say you recognize a truth, use the conjunction que (that) adopted by the actual fact.

• Il sait que j’habite près du travail. = He is aware of that I dwell close to work.
• Elles savent que le zoo n’est pas loin. = They know that the zoo isn’t far.

You may also use savoir within the passé composé (previous tense) to say you discovered one thing out or realized one thing for the primary time.

• J’ai su qu’il est arrivé en retard. = I discovered he arrived late.
• Vous avez su faire du ski cet hiver. = You realized (for the primary time) how you can ski this winter.

These are the 2 mostly used tenses with savoir, however there are various extra savoir conjugations and tenses. 

When to make use of savoir in actual conversations

Now that you know the way to conjugate savoir, you’ll wish to observe some widespread expressions. Whether or not you need to journey to a French-speaking nation or just degree up your French language expertise, understanding widespread sayings that use savoir conjugations is extraordinarily helpful—particularly for those who merely have to know how you can say “I don’t know” in French!

Including these expressions to your French conversations will definitely make you sound extra pure when speaking with an area or your native French professor! If the pronunciation of those expressions feels overwhelming, use our French pronunciation information or strive Rosetta Stone tutoring for extra individualized observe.

Connaître conjugation in French

French verb conjugation isn’t any simple feat. Connaître conjugation has its similarities to savoir, however you’ll have to study the conjugations individually. Let’s begin with the current tense of connaître.

Notice that the third individual singular (he/she) conjugation contains the French accent mark circonflexe, which follows the infinitive of the verb.

Listed below are some examples of when to make use of connaître vs. savoir within the current tense:

• Je connais cette personne depuis vingt ans. = I do know (I’ve identified) this individual for twenty years.
• Nous connaissons un café pour le rendez-vous. = We all know (are acquainted with) a café for the assembly.

Identical to savoir, connaître modifications which means when conjugated within the passé composé. On this occasion, it means you have got met somebody or made their acquaintance for the primary time. That is what you’ll use once you keep overseas and meet your host’s prolonged household or shut mates.

• Tu as connu ma mère en janvier dernier. = You met my mom final January.
• Ils ont connu des Canadiens au competition. = They made the acquaintance of some Canadians on the competition.

Increase your information on connaître conjugations and tenses, which will help you sound extra like a local speaker in your conversations.

When to make use of connaître in actual conversations

When mastering savoir vs. connaître, understanding expressions with each verbs is crucial. Add these expressions that use connaître to your conversations in French.

For those who’re actually critical about studying widespread French expressions to sound extra pure when talking, sustain with French TV and flicks to remain present on what folks say of their day by day conversations.

Regularly requested questions on savoir vs. connaître

For native English audio system, understanding savoir vs. connaître will be difficult. Learn these regularly requested questions to realize confidence in utilizing each.