Savoir vs Connaître — The French To Know Survival Guide

If you’re an anglophone (American, British, Aussie…), you probably use to know everywhere: I know her, I know Paris, I know how to ski.

In French, though, you have two distinct verbs: savoir and connaître.

And choosing the wrong one will instantly mark you as a foreigner — even if your pronunciation is flawless.

🕵️‍♂️ Quick & simple rule

✅ Connaître → to be familiar with someone or something (person, place, book, wine, concept).

✅ Savoir → to know a fact, know how to do something, or introduce a clause (that, where, how…).

💡 Grammar tip

• Connaître → always used with a noun. Example: Elle connaît l’alphabet.
• Savoir → often used with a verb. Example: Elle sait lire.
  Also: savoir means having acquired knowledge, or being able to do something.

📖 Examples from everyday life

• Elle sait écrire. → She knows how to write.
• Elle connaît l’alphabet. → She knows (is familiar with) the alphabet.
• Vous savez dessiner. → You know how to draw.
• Vous connaissez la perspective. → You know (understand) perspective.

See the difference? One is about knowing how to do something (skill, ability), the other about knowing something/someone as a thing you’ve encountered or learned about.

🚨 Classic pitfalls for anglophones

• “I know how” → always savoir (je sais comment), never je connais comment.
• “I know him/her/this place” → always connaître (je connais), never je sais.
• “I know that” → savoir (je sais que).

✈️ For the traveller: practical phrases

❌ Never say je sais Paris or je connais comment faire ça — French ears will flinch!

🎉 Mini Quiz: Savoir or Connaître?

Pick the correct verb!

1️⃣ I know this museum.
→ Je ______ ce musée.

2️⃣ I know how to order a coffee.
→ Je ______ commander un café.

3️⃣ I know her from school.
→ Je la ______ de l’école.

4️⃣ I know that the train is late.
→ Je ______ que le train est en retard.

5️⃣ I know how to ski.
→ Je ______ skier.

Answers: 1. connais | 2. sais | 3. connais | 4. sais | 5. sais

😄 Real-life anecdotes

A British tourist in Paris

There’s the famous story of a British tourist who proudly told a French waiter: Je sais ce vin ! (“I know this wine!”). The waiter smiled and replied playfully: Ah bon, vous l’avez étudié à l’école ? (“Oh really, you studied it at school?”).

Why? Because savoir suggests you know facts about something — not just that you’re familiar with it. What the tourist meant was: Je connais ce vin (“I’m familiar with this wine”). Small mistake, but it created a funny moment!

An American expat learning French

An American expat once told a ski instructor: Je connais skier. The instructor looked puzzled — it sounded like “I’m familiar with skiing (as an idea)” rather than “I know how to ski.”
The correct phrase would have been: Je sais skier. Just a little word swap, but it completely changed the meaning!

A common language mix-up for learners

Many language learners (French or English) fall into this trap. For example, a French learner of English might say I know to swim when they mean I know how to swim. It’s the same confusion between knowing something in theory and knowing how to do it.

These mistakes are part of the learning journey — and often make for great stories later!

🏆 Final tip for the road

If you hesitate, ask yourself:

• Am I talking about a person, place, or thing I’m familiar with? → connaître

• Am I talking about facts, information, or how to do something? → savoir

🇫🇷 Want to go further?

If you're learning French and would like a bit of personal guidance, I offer online French lessons via Google Meet—40 minutes of gentle, practical, and friendly conversation with grammar tips along the way.

I already have students in New York City and Upstate New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and England—and there’s still room for you!

Whether you’re a complete beginner or just want to brush up before your next trip to France, I’d love to help!

👉 You can find more details on my website. 

I’d love to hear from you.

Bonne journée et à bientôt !

Pierre