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FRENCH VERB

connaître

to know (a person or a place)

  • #24 most used
  • Irregular -re verb
  • Past participle: connu
  • Present participle: connaissant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I know
  2. tu you know
  3. il, elle, on he/she knows
  4. nous we know
  5. vous you know
  6. ils, elles they know

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I knew
  2. tu you knew
  3. il, elle, on he/she knew
  4. nous we knew
  5. vous you knew
  6. ils, elles they knew

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to know
  2. tu you used to know
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to know
  4. nous we used to know
  5. vous you used to know
  6. ils, elles they used to know

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will know
  2. tu you will know
  3. il, elle, on he/she will know
  4. nous we will know
  5. vous you will know
  6. ils, elles they will know

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would know
  2. tu you would know
  3. il, elle, on he/she would know
  4. nous we would know
  5. vous you would know
  6. ils, elles they would know

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I know
  2. tu (that) you know
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she know
  4. nous (that) we know
  5. vous (that) you know
  6. ils, elles (that) they know

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu know!
  2. nous know! (let’s)
  3. vous know! (plural, or formal)

How to use connaître

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Vous connaissez un bon restaurant par ici ?

    Do you know a good restaurant around here?

  2. Past

    J'ai connu Hugo à l'université.

    I met Hugo at university.

  3. Imperfect

    Elle connaissait tout le monde dans le quartier.

    She knew everyone in the neighbourhood.

  4. Future

    Tu connaîtras la ville en une semaine.

    You'll know the city in a week.

  5. Conditional

    Je connaîtrais mieux Paris si j'y vivais.

    I'd know Paris better if I lived there.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je doute qu'il connaisse le chemin.

    I doubt he knows the way.

  7. Imperative

    Connaissez vos droits avant de signer.

    Know your rights before you sign.

Good to know

  • Connaître is for people and places, savoir for facts : je connais Paris, je sais où c'est.
  • In the passé composé, j'ai connu often means I met : je l'ai connu à Lyon.

Where you hear connaître

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

French · Beginner Level 1

  • Je connais un très bon café. I know a very good cafe.
  • J'ai connu Chloé à Paris. I met Chloe in Paris.
  • Tu vas connaître ma famille. You're going to meet my family.

French · Beginner Level 2

  • On se connaît depuis longtemps. We've known each other for a long time.
  • Avant, je ne connaissais personne à Lyon. Before, I didn't know anyone in Lyon.
  • Je vais connaître les nouveaux élèves. I'm going to get to know the new students.
14
On the Train

Beginner Level 1 · tu connais · je connais

Needs a subscription 30
A Year in France

Beginner Level 2 · je ne connaissais personne · on se connaît

Needs a subscription 5
English for Leo

Beginner Level 3 · Je ne connais personne.

Needs a subscription 18
The Storm

Beginner Level 3 · il connaissait

Needs a subscription 30
Opening Day

Beginner Level 3 · Je ne connaissais personne. · connaître

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -re verb.