Savoir, meaning "to know" in French, is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations don't follow standard patterns. Mastering its conjugations is crucial for fluency. This guide will walk you through each tense, providing clear examples to help you confidently use savoir in your conversations and writing.
Present Tense (Présent)
The present tense describes actions happening now. Here's the conjugation of savoir:
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence (Translation) |
|---|---|---|
| Je (I) | sais | Je sais la réponse. (I know the answer.) |
| Tu (You - informal singular) | sais | Tu sais où il habite ? (Do you know where he lives?) |
| Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) | sait | Il sait la vérité. (He knows the truth.) |
| Nous (We) | savons | Nous savons la réponse. (We know the answer.) |
| Vous (You - formal singular/plural) | savez | Vous savez comment faire ? (Do you know how to do it?) |
| Ils/Elles (They - masculine/feminine) | savent | Ils savent tout. (They know everything.) |
Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)
The imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past. Savoir in the imperfect is relatively straightforward:
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence (Translation) |
|---|---|---|
| Je (I) | savais | Je savais la vérité. (I knew the truth.) |
| Tu (You - informal singular) | savais | Tu savais où il habite. (You knew where he lived.) |
| Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) | savait | Il savait la réponse. (He knew the answer.) |
| Nous (We) | savions | Nous savions comment faire. (We knew how to do it.) |
| Vous (You - formal singular/plural) | saviez | Vous saviez la réponse. (You knew the answer.) |
| Ils/Elles (They - masculine/feminine) | savaient | Ils savaient tout. (They knew everything.) |
Future Tense (Futur Simple)
The future tense describes actions that will happen in the future. Savoir in the future tense is also fairly regular:
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence (Translation) |
|---|---|---|
| Je (I) | saurai | Je saurai la réponse demain. (I will know the answer tomorrow.) |
| Tu (You - informal singular) | sauras | Tu sauras où il habite. (You will know where he lives.) |
| Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) | saura | Il saura la vérité. (He will know the truth.) |
| Nous (We) | saurons | Nous saurons la réponse. (We will know the answer.) |
| Vous (You - formal singular/plural) | saurez | Vous saurez comment faire. (You will know how to do it.) |
| Ils/Elles (They - masculine/feminine) | sauront | Ils sauront tout. (They will know everything.) |
Conditional Tense (Conditionnel Présent)
The conditional tense expresses hypothetical or conditional actions. The conditional of savoir is formed by adding the conditional endings to the stem "saura-":
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example Sentence (Translation) |
|---|---|---|
| Je (I) | saurais | Je saurais la réponse si j'avais écouté. (I would know the answer if I had listened.) |
| Tu (You - informal singular) | saurais | Tu saurais où il habite si tu lui demandais. (You would know where he lives if you asked him.) |
| Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) | saurait | Il saurait la vérité. (He would know the truth.) |
| Nous (We) | saurions | Nous saurions comment faire. (We would know how to do it.) |
| Vous (You - formal singular/plural) | sauriez | Vous sauriez la réponse. (You would know the answer.) |
| Ils/Elles (They - masculine/feminine) | sauraient | Ils sauraient tout. (They would know everything.) |
Other Tenses
Other tenses of savoir, such as the passé composé (past participle), subjunctive, and imperative, follow irregular patterns and require further study. Consult a comprehensive French verb conjugation resource for a complete overview.
Tips for Learning
- Practice Regularly: Consistent practice is key. Try using the verb in sentences throughout your day.
- Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with the different conjugations to aid memorization.
- Immerse Yourself: Surround yourself with the French language through movies, music, and books.
- Utilize Online Resources: There are many websites and apps dedicated to French verb conjugation.
By diligently practicing these conjugations and employing effective learning strategies, you will soon master the irregular verb savoir and significantly improve your French proficiency.
