How to say 'to know' in French: Savoir vs connaître

In French, both the verbs savoir and connaître can be translated as ‘to know’, but when are you supposed to use which verb? Read on to find out the differences between these two verbs and the time when you can use them together interchangeably.

Savoir is used to express something that you know how to do. It is typically followed by an infinitive verb.

Je sais peindre. - I know how to paint.

Je sais jouer. - I know how to play.

Je sais conduire. - I know how to drive.

Note that the French word for 'how' (comment) is usually omitted in French, unless you’re aiming to strongly emphasise the fact that you know how to do something. In this case you could translate ‘I know how to drive’ as je sais comment conduire, for example.

Further to this, savoir can also be used to express knowledge of specific pieces of information. This is done by including a subordinate clause after savoir, instead of an infinitive verb.

Je sais que George est en Espagne. - I know that George is in Spain.

Je sais que la chambre se trouve à l'étage. - I know that the bedroom is upstairs.

In order to form these types of sentences, it is of course useful to know how to conjugate savoir in the present tense:

◦ Je sais - I know

◦ Tu sais - You know

◦ Il sait - He knows

◦ Elle sait - She knows

◦ On sait - We know

◦ Nous savons - We know

◦ Vous savez - You know

◦ Ils savent - They know

◦ Elles savent - They know

To see how savoir conjugates in different tenses, check out our verb lists, exclusive to Complete French Course subscribers.

Connaître is used to express knowing something, somewhere or someone. It is usually followed by a noun/direct object pronoun. It is not followed by a subordinate clause or an infinitive.

Je connais cette femme. - I know this woman.

Il ne connait pas John. - He doesn’t know John.

There is an exception to be found in the expression of knowing something by heart, in which case savoir and connaître can be used interchangeably.

Je connais cette chanson par cœur. - I know this song by heart.

Je sais cette chanson par cœur. - I know this song by heart.

Here’s how to conjugate connaître in the present tense:

◦ Je connais - I know

◦ Tu connais - You know

◦ Il connaît - He knows

◦ Elle connaît - She knows

◦ On connaît - We know

◦ Nous connaissons - We know

◦ Vous connaissez - You know

◦ Ils connaissent - They know

◦ Elles connaissent - They know

To see how connaître conjugates in different tenses, check out our verb lists, exclusive to Complete French Course subscribers.