Connaître (to know) · Présent
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Connaître in the French présent is: je connais, tu connais, il/elle/on connaît, nous connaissons, vous connaissez, ils/elles connaissent. The present of connaître has two stems: 'connai-' for singular (with circumflex on il form: 'il connaît') and 'connaiss-' for plural. The circumflex on 'connaît' (il form) is a traditional spelling — the 2016 reform accepts 'connait' too, but the circumflex is still more common.
| To Know | Connaître |
|---|---|
| I know | je connais |
| you know | tu connais |
| he/she knows | il/elle/on connaît |
| we know | nous connaissons |
| you know | vous connaissez |
| they know | ils/elles connaissent |
Connaître (to know) in context
Sentences that use connaître in the présent. Tap each to hear it.
I have known Paul for ten years.
Do you know Paris?
He knows the region very well.
We know a good restaurant near here.
Do you know this song?
They know all the neighbors.
Working with the présent
French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate connaître in the present tense?
What's the difference between connaître and savoir?
Why does 'connaît' have a circumflex?
Practice Connaître (To Know) in real conversations
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