French Grammar: The Verb [SAVOIR]
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Identify:
French Grammar: The Verb [SAVOIR]
la grammaire française: le verbe [savoir]
The verb SAVOIR expresses knowledge, but in a specific sense. It means to either know information (facts, data) or know how to do something.
Study:
The verb SAVOIR expresses knowledge, but in a specific sense. It means to either know information (facts, data) or know how to do something.
SAVOIR is an irregular verb. Here are the simple present tense forms of the verb SAVOIR:
Je sais : I know
Tu sais : You (familiar) know
Il / Elle / On sait : He, It / She, It / One knows
Nous savons : We know
Vous savez : You (formal or plural) know
Ils / Elles savent : They (masculine) / They (feminine) know
SAVOIR : To know (information, facts, data)
Vous savez le nom du professeur de français?
Do you (formal) know the French professor’s name?
Tu sais quelle heure il est?
Do you (familiar) know what time it is?
When you use SAVOIR to mean to know how to do something, all you need is the conjugated form of the verb SAVOIR. (The French word “comment (‘how’)” is often mistakenly used in this context, but it is not correct. The sense of “to know how” is all part of the meaning of SAVOIR. This is why the French word “comment” is unnecessary.)
Je sais parler français.
I know how to speak French.
Elles savent nager très bien.
They (feminine) know how to swim very well.
Adapt:
Tu sais la capitale de la France?
Do you (familiar) know what the capital of France is?
Oui, je sais que Paris est la capitale de la France.
Yes, I know that Paris is the capital of France.
Est-ce qu’il sait où nous sommes?
Does he know where we are?
Oui, il sait où nous sommes.
Yes, he knows where we are.
Elles savent faire la cuisine?
Do they (feminine) know how to cook?
Oui, elles savent faire très bien la cuisine .
Yes, they (feminine) know how to cook well.
Savez-vous parler anglais?
Do you all know how to speak English?
Bien sûr! Nous savons parler anglais!
Of course! We know how to speak English!
