Savoir vs Connaître
In French, savoir and connaître both translate as "to know," but they apply to different kinds of knowledge. Choosing between them shapes whether you express knowing a fact, a skill, or being familiar with a person, place, or thing.
Savoir
Use savoir for knowing facts, information, or how to do something. It often appears before clauses, questions, or when reporting specific knowledge.
| French Sentence | English Sentence |
|---|---|
| Tu sais où il habite ? | Do you know where he lives? |
| Je sais parler espagnol. | I know how to speak Spanish. |
| Elle sait que le train est en retard. | She knows that the train is late. |
| French Example | English Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 🧪 Je sais comment faire cette expérience. | I know how to do this experiment. | Knowing how (method) |
| 📐 Elle sait calculer l’aire du cercle. | She knows how to calculate the area of the circle. | Skill or procedure |
| 🗣️ Nous savons parler un peu espagnol. | We know how to speak a little Spanish. | Language ability |
| 📖 Il sait que la Terre tourne autour du Soleil. | He knows that the Earth revolves around the Sun. | Factual knowledge |
| ⏰ Je sais qu’il est déjà tard. | I know that it is already late. | Information |
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Connaître
Use connaître for being familiar with people, places, or things through experience. It takes a direct noun and signals acquaintance rather than factual knowledge.
| French Sentence | English Sentence |
|---|---|
| Je connais bien Paris. | I know Paris well. |
| Il connaît ce écrivain célèbre. | He knows that famous writer. |
| Nous connaissons ce restaurant. | We are familiar with that restaurant. |
| French Example | English Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 🏫 Je connais ce professeur de mathématiques. | I know that math teacher. | Familiarity with a person |
| 🏠 Elle connaît bien le quartier. | She knows the neighborhood well. | Familiar place |
| 🎨 Nous connaissons ce style de peinture. | We are familiar with this style of painting. | Recognizing a style |
| 📚 Ils connaissent ce livre par cœur. | They know this book by heart. | Deep familiarity |
| 🎵 Je connais cette chanson ! | I know this song! | Recognizing something |
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Summary
savoir = to know facts, information, or how to do something; useful before clauses or infinitives. connaître = to be familiar with or to know by experience; used with nouns for people, places, or things.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025