Language/French/Vocabulary/To-Know

It is sometimes difficult for foreign to know when to use the 2 French verbs "Savoir" et "Connaître". In English, for example those 2 verbs means "To know".

• Connaissez-vous cette personne ? = Do you know this person?
• Savez-vous ce qu'il est possible de faire ? = Do you know what we can do?

In this article we will teach you in which situations use those 2 verbs.

Savoir

To know how to do something

In French, to say "I know how to do something", you use "je sais" + verb infinitive.

To know who, what or where

Je ne sais pas ce que tu veux dire = I don’t know what you want to say Il sais où je suis = He knows where I am Elle sait où le park se trouve = She knows where the park is located Je sais d'où il vient = I know who he comes from

Useful expressions

J’en sais rien

It means "I’ve no idea".

Note that this is a rather informal expression. Use it with people you know well.

Tu sais quoi?

This is a familiar expression meaning “you know what?”. Tu sais quoi ? J’en ai marre ! = You know what? I’m fed up with it!

Qui sait

It means "who knows?".

Il y est déjà peut être allé, qui sait ? = Maybe, he has already been there, who knows?

un je ne sais quoi

This expression is used to say “I don’t know what”.

Elle avait un certain je ne sais quoi qui m'a tout de suite plu = She had a certain je ne sais quoi I liked right away

Connaître

The meaning of “connaître” is closer to “to be familiar with”.

“Connaître” is directly followed by a person, place or thing while “savoir” is followed by an interrogative pronoun or a verb.

To know someone or something personally

Tu connais ce bar ? = Are you familiar with this bar? Est-ce que vous connaissez le prix des loyers à Marseille ? = Do you know the rents in Marseille?

Useful expressions

Connaître la musique

This expression means that you are used to something because you've already experienced it many times.

Merci, ne m'en parle pas, je connais la musique = Don't tell me, I know!

Connaître sur le bout des doigts

it means you know it perfectly, " like the back of your hand" Tu es prêt pour le test ? Oui je connais le sujet sur le bout des doigts = Are you ready for the test? Yes, I know the topic like the back of my hand.

Connaître par coeur

It means “to know something by heart”. Je connais ma leçon par coeur = I know my lesson by heart

If you have a question about the difference between "savoir" and "connaître", post it here !