Meaning and Usage
The verb savoir means "to know" in the sense of knowing facts, information, or how to do something. It is often used to express knowledge learned or remembered, such as knowing a fact, a piece of information, or how to perform a skill. Unlike connaître, which refers to being familiar or acquainted with people or places, savoir focuses on factual or practical knowledge.
Common Contexts
You will use savoir when discussing knowing facts, understanding something, or knowing how to do an activity. For example, saying Je sais la réponse means "I know the answer," while Elle sait nager means "She knows how to swim." It can also be used when asking if someone knows something — Savez-vous où il habite ? ("Do you know where he lives?").
Irregular Verb Nature
Savoir is an irregular verb in French and does not follow typical conjugation patterns of regular -oir verbs. Its stem changes depending on the tense and subject pronoun, especially in the present tense and past forms. This irregularity means that memorizing its conjugations is important for proper use.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of savoir is frequently used to express current knowledge or abilities. The stem changes in several forms, so it's important to memorize them.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | sais | I know | Je sais parler français. | I know how to speak French. |
| Tu | sais | You know | Tu sais la vérité. | You know the truth. |
| Il/Elle/On | sait | He/She/One knows | Elle sait chanter bien. | She knows how to sing well. |
| Nous | savons | We know | Nous savons la réponse. | We know the answer. |
| Vous | savez | You (formal/plural) know | Vous savez où il est. | You know where he is. |
| Ils/Elles | savent | They know | Ils savent conduire. | They know how to drive. |
Past Tense (Passé Composé)
In the passé composé, savoir uses the auxiliary verb avoir and the past participle su. It often denotes that someone found out or learned something.
Example:
J’ai su la vérité hier. – "I found out the truth yesterday."
Other Common Tenses
- Imperfect (imparfait): Used to describe ongoing knowledge or habitual knowing in the past.
Je savais means "I knew" or "I was knowing."
- Future (futur simple): Describes knowledge in the future.
Je saurai means "I will know."
- Subjunctive present: Used in dependent clauses expressing doubt, emotion, or necessity.
Que je sache – "That I know."
Usage Notes
- To express "to know how to" do something, combine savoir with an infinitive verb, e.g., Je sais nager (I know how to swim).
- To indicate "to find out," use passé composé of savoir which reflects discovered knowledge.
Summary
Understanding the verb savoir is essential for expressing knowledge of facts, information, or skills in French. Knowing its irregular conjugations and usage contexts allows you to communicate effectively whether you are talking about current knowledge, learned facts, or abilities.
