Connaîtrais

Connaîtrais is a French verb form belonging to the verb connaître, meaning “to know” or “to be acquainted with.” It is the conditional present form used with the subjects je and tu, so the form can correspond to “I would know” or “you would know” depending on the context.

Morphology and conjugation: The conditional present uses the stem connaîtr- followed by the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Consequently, the forms are je connaîtrais, tu connaîtrais, il/elle connaîtrait, nous connaîtrions, vous connaîtriez, ils/elles connaîtraient. The form connaîtrais appears in the singular for the first and second persons, while the other persons change the ending as shown.

Usage: Connaîtrais is used to express hypothetical or contingent knowledge in the present or future, often in clauses introduced by si or in direct conditional questions. Examples include: "Si j’avais le temps, je te connaîtrais mieux," or "Connaîtrais-tu ce nom?" meaning “Would you know/recognize this name?” The conditional mood in spoken French frequently conveys politeness or speculation, and this form functions in the same way.

Orthography: The verb stem contains a circumflex on the i (î) as part of the infinitive connaître. This diacritic carries over to the conditional forms, including connaîtrais. The spelling reflects the historical evolution of the verb from its Latin roots.

See also: Connaître, French conditional mood, French morphology.