Last updated on October 26th, 2026 at 07:49 pm
English has one verb, to know. French has two: savoir and connaître. Choosing the wrong one is one of the most common learner mistakes, but the rule is simpler than it looks. In short: you connaître people and places, and you savoir facts and how to do things.
Key points
- Connaître + a noun: people, places, works, things you are familiar with. Je connais Paris.
- Savoir + an infinitive: to know how to. Je sais nager.
- Savoir + que, si, où, comment, quand: to know a fact. Je sais qu’il est là.
- Connaître is never followed by an infinitive or by que.
Connaître: to be familiar with
Connaître is followed by a noun. Use it for people, places, books, films and anything you have experienced:
- Je connais Paris. (I know Paris.)
- Tu connais David ? (Do you know David?)
- Elle connaît bien cette histoire. (She knows this story well.)
- Nous connaissons tes parents. (We know your parents.)
Savoir: to know a fact or a skill
Savoir is followed by an infinitive (a skill) or by a clause with que, si, où, comment, quand, pourquoi:
- Je sais nager. (I can swim.)
- Il sait où aller. (He knows where to go.)
- Elle sait que tu aimes le chocolat. (She knows you like chocolate.)
- Nous ne savons pas si c’est possible. (We do not know if it is possible.)
Savoir can also take a noun when it is information you have learned: savoir sa leçon, savoir la réponse, savoir l’adresse.
Quick test: if what follows is a verb or a clause (que, si, où…), use savoir. If it is a person or a place, use connaître.
Present tense
| Person | savoir | connaître |
|---|---|---|
| je | sais | connais |
| tu | sais | connais |
| il / elle / on | sait | connaît |
| nous | savons | connaissons |
| vous | savez | connaissez |
| ils / elles | savent | connaissent |
Connaît keeps a circumflex on the î in the il form (the 1990 spelling reform also accepts connait).
Past tense: a change of meaning
- J’ai su means I found out: J’ai su la vérité hier.
- J’ai connu means I met or I experienced: J’ai connu ma femme à Lyon.
- Je savais / je connaissais (imparfait) mean I knew, as an ongoing state.
See our page on passé composé vs imparfait for more on this difference.
Exercise: savoir or connaître?
- 1. Tu ___ où est la gare ?
- 2. Je ne ___ pas cette ville.
- 3. Elle ___ parler trois langues.
- 4. Vous ___ mon frère ?
- 5. Nous ne ___ pas si le magasin est ouvert.
- 6. Il ___ bien Paris, il y a vécu dix ans.
- 7. Je ___ mon poème par cœur.
- 8. Ils ___ un bon restaurant près d’ici.
Answers: 1. sais 2. connais 3. sait 4. connaissez 5. savons 6. connaît 7. sais 8. connaissent
Going further
More classic traps are in our article on common French mistakes. Check your level with our free French level test and practise in our French conversation lessons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between savoir and connaître?
Connaître is used with people, places and things you are familiar with (je connais Paris). Savoir is used with facts and skills, followed by an infinitive or a clause (je sais nager, je sais qu’il est là).
Can savoir be followed by a noun?
Yes, for information you have learned: savoir sa leçon, savoir la réponse, savoir l’adresse.
How do you say I can swim in French?
Je sais nager. For skills you have learned, French uses savoir, not pouvoir.
What does j’ai connu mean?
In the passé composé, connaître means to meet or to experience: j’ai connu ma femme à Lyon (I met my wife in Lyon).
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