savoir

Savoir is a French verb meaning to know or to know how to do something. It is used for knowledge of facts or information, as well as for the ability to perform an action. In its noun form le savoir, it denotes knowledge or learning as a body of knowledge, and is common in educational and philosophical contexts. Related expressions include savoir-faire (know-how or practical competence) and savoir-vivre (knowledge of social etiquette).

Etymology: Savoir derives from Old French savoir, itself from Latin sapere “to be wise, to know.” The word has cognates in other Romance languages, such as Italian sapere and Spanish saber.

Grammar and usage: Savoir is irregular. Present tense: je sais, tu sais, il sait, nous savons, vous savez, ils savent. Passé composé: j'ai su; imperfect: je savais; future: je saurai; conditional: je saurais; subjunctive: que je sache; imperative: sache (tu), sachons (nous), sachez (vous). Savoir is followed by an infinitive to express ability: Je sais nager. It can introduce clauses with que: Je sais que tu viens. Negation uses ne… pas: je ne sais pas. Savoir contrasts with connaître, which expresses familiarity with people or places rather than factual knowledge or abilities.

In usage, le savoir also appears in discussions of knowledge as a general concept, such as in education (les savoirs scolaires) or epistemology (la nature du savoir). Common derivatives and phrases reflect different facets of knowledge, including know-how, social conduct, and personal competencies.