savoir
In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.
1.Présent
Présent
Current actions, habits, and general truths.
| je | sais |
| tu | sais |
| il/elle | sait |
| nous | savons |
| vous | savez |
| ils/elles | savent |
Je sais que tu viens ce soir.
I know that you are coming tonight.
Elle sait jouer du piano.
She knows how to play the piano.
2.Passé Composé
Passé Composé
Completed past actions with present relevance.
| je | ai su |
| tu | as su |
| il/elle | a su |
| nous | avons su |
| vous | avez su |
| ils/elles | ont su |
J'ai su qu'il avait gagné le prix.
I found out that he had won the prize.
Nous avons su la vérité hier.
We learned the truth yesterday.
3.Imparfait
Imparfait
Ongoing or habitual past actions, descriptions, and background.
| je | savais |
| tu | savais |
| il/elle | savait |
| nous | savions |
| vous | saviez |
| ils/elles | savaient |
Quand j'étais enfant, je savais nager.
When I was a child, I knew how to swim.
Ils savaient que le film était bon.
They knew that the movie was good.
4.Futur Simple
Futur Simple
Future events, promises, and formal predictions.
| je | saurai |
| tu | sauras |
| il/elle | saura |
| nous | saurons |
| vous | saurez |
| ils/elles | sauront |
Je saurai la réponse demain.
I will know the answer tomorrow.
Elle saura comment résoudre le problème.
She will know how to solve the problem.
5.Conditionnel Présent
Conditionnel Présent
Hypothetical outcomes, polite requests, and reported future.
| je | saurais |
| tu | saurais |
| il/elle | saurait |
| nous | saurions |
| vous | sauriez |
| ils/elles | s sauraient |
Je saurais te dire si je le savais.
I would know how to tell you if I knew it.
Nous saurions quoi faire dans cette situation.
We would know what to do in this situation.
6.Subjonctif Présent
Subjonctif Présent
Doubt, desire, necessity, and emotion in subordinate clauses.
| je | sache |
| tu | saches |
| il/elle | sache |
| nous | sachions |
| vous | sachiez |
| ils/elles | sachent |
Il faut que je sache la vérité.
It is necessary that I know the truth.
Bien que tu saches la réponse, ne le dis pas.
Even though you know the answer, don’t say it.
7.Plus-que-parfait
Plus-que-parfait
Actions completed before another past action.
| je | avais su |
| tu | avais su |
| il/elle | avait su |
| nous | avions su |
| vous | aviez su |
| ils/elles | avaient su |
Avant de partir, j'avais su qu'il allait pleuvoir.
Before leaving, I had known that it was going to rain.
Ils avaient su que le concert était annulé.
They had known that the concert was canceled.
"savoir" in other languages
Related verbs
Common questions
- Is "savoir" regular or irregular in French?
- "savoir" is an irregular French verb. It does not follow the standard 3rd conjugation pattern and must be memorized.
- How do you conjugate "savoir" in the present tense?
- In the Présent, "savoir" conjugates as: sais, sais, savons, and more. See the full table above.
- What is the past tense of "savoir" in French?
- In the Passé Composé, "savoir" conjugates as: ai su, as su, avons su, and more. See the full table above.
- How common is "savoir" in French?
- "savoir" (to know, to know how to) is one of the most commonly used verbs in French.