Connaître

Connaître is a French verb meaning “to know” in the sense of being familiar with a person, place, thing, or subject, or to have experience of it. It expresses acquaintance or familiarity rather than factual knowledge or know‑how, which is usually conveyed by savoir. Examples include Je connais bien Paris and Il connaît cette chanteuse.

Etymology and origin: Connaître derives from Old French connoistre, itself from Latin cognoscere. The modern form reflects changes in spelling over time. The noun connaissance (knowledge or acquaintance) is related, as in avoir connaissance de quelque chose.

Usage and meaning: Connaître takes a direct object and is used for people, places, works, and topics you are acquainted with. You can dire Je connais cette personne, Je connais ce quartier, or Je connais bien ce livre. The expression faire connaissance means “to get to know” someone, often with avec: faire connaissance avec quelqu’un. By contrast, savoir is used for knowledge of facts, information, or how to do something (Je sais parler français; Je sais où il habite).

Conjugation overview: Connaître is an irregular -re verb. Present tense: je connais, tu connais, il connaît, nous connaissons, vous connaissez, ils connaissent. Past participle: connu. Passé composé: j’ai connu; imparfait: je connaissais; futur: je connaîtrai; conditionnel: je connaîtrais; subjonctif présent: que je connaisse; impératif: connais, connaissons, connaissez.

Common nuances: Connaître implies personal or experiential knowledge (acquaintance, familiarity). Knowledge expressed with connaissance as a noun can be general or developed through experience. In many contexts, choisir between connaître and savoir hinges on whether you refer to familiarity or to facts and information.