I need some help in french... urgent pls...?

Question

I want to know the difference between 'savoir' and 'connaitre' , both mean ' to know'', but where do you use them? Please give me a sentence with both the verbs.

Answer 1

I'm Italian and in my language there are two different verbs to use in the translation, but in English there aren't.

Savoir is used as : I know that you have done that

Je sais que tu as fait ça.

Connaitre is used as: I know a language and I can use it.

Je sais une langue et je l'a peux employer.

Answer 2

@mat.frank : you're wrong, we say "connaître une langue" not "savoir une langue". They are two different things according to what you want to say:

1) Je connais l'anglais = I know English

2) je sais parler anglais = I can speak English (literally: I know how to speak English)

We usually use a verb in the infinitive following "savoir", not with connaître:

e.g we don't say "je connais parler anglais" this is wrong, but "je sais parler..." Connaître is never followed by another verb.

to know someone = connaître quelqu'un, not *savoir quelqu'un!!

However we can say savoir/connaître sa leçon =  to know one's lesson, but in that instance it's better to use "savoir"

We often use "connaître" while "meet" is used in English e.g "il l'a connu à l'université" = he met her at university", but "knew" is possible too.

It doesn't mean that we always use a verb after "savoir", e.g:

c'est difficile à savoir = it's difficult to know.

je savais qu'elle était malade = I knew she was ill.

Savez-vous comment il vient? = Do you know how he's coming?

  In these instances we wouldn't use "connaître".

So I'm afraid for some expressions, that it's necessary to learn them by heart in order to "know them by heart" = "les savoir par coeur" !

Btw, we use "savoir" for a text, poem, lesson, and "connaître" for a subject, plan, route!

Good luck and work well :-)

Answer 3

Savoir is to ''know'', used for objects mainly and used like ''know'' in this sentence ''I know how to play the piano = I can play the piano'' i.e. means ''know how to do a certain thing'', or simply ''to know'' or don't ''know'' something

savoir1 /savwaʀ/ (conjugate⇒)

transitive verb

to know [truth, answer];

vous n'êtes pas sans ~ que you are no doubt aware that;

va or allez ~! who knows!;

est-ce que je sais, moi! how should I know!;

pour autant que je sache as far as I know;

comment l'as-tu su? how did you find out?;

je l'ai su par elle she told me about it;

ne ~ que faire pour… to be at a loss as to how to…;

sachant que knowing that;

given that;

qui vous savez you-know-who;

je ne sais qui somebody or other;

tu en sais des choses! you really know a thing or two!;

~ faire to know how to do;

je sais conduire I can drive;

~ écouter to be a good listener;

elle sait y faire avec les hommes she knows how to handle men.

se savoir reflexive verb (+ v être) ça se saurait people would know about it.

à savoir phrase that is to say.

IDIOMS:

ne pas ~ où donner de la tête not to know whether one is coming or going.

Connaitre is to between ''to know'' and ''to recognize'', used for people mainly, for example ''I know this guy = I recognize this guy''

connaître /kɔnɛtʀ/ (conjugate⇒)

transitive verb

to know;

faire ~ à qn to make [sth] known to sb [decision];

to introduce sb to [music];

je l'ai connu en Chine I met him in China;

tu connais la nouvelle? have you heard the news?;

to experience [hunger, failure];

to enjoy [success];

to have [difficulties];

~ une forte croissance to show a rapid growth.

se connaître reflexive verb (+ v être)

to know oneself;

to know each other;

ils se sont connus à Rome they met in Rome;

s'y ~ en vin to know all about wine.

IDIOMS:

on connaît la chanson or musique! we've heard it all before!;

~ qch comme sa poche to know sth like the back of one's hand.

know

transitive verb gen savoir;

(be acquainted or familiar with) connaître (place, person, way);

to ~ why/how savoir pourquoi/comment;

to ~ how to do savoir faire;

to ~ sb by sight connaître qn de vue;

to get to ~ sb faire connaissance avec qn;

he ~s all about it il est au courant;

I knew it! j'en étais sûr!

intransitive verb savoir;

as you ~ comme vous le savez;

to ~ about (have information) être au courant de (event);

(have skill) s'y connaître en (computing, engines);

to ~ of (from experience) connaître;

(from information) avoir entendu parler de;

to let sb ~ of or about tenir qn au courant de.

IDIOMS:

to be in the ~ (colloquial) être bien informé/-e.

****Hope it helps****