Possible meanings of savoir
- to know
- to know a fact
- to know by heart
- (conditional) to be able to
- (passé composé) to learn, find out, realize
- (semi-auxiliary) to know how to
Expressions with savoir
à savoir
that is, namely, i.e.
(à) savoir si ça va lui plaire!
there's no knowing whether he'll like it or not!
savoir bien
to know very well, be very aware of/that
savoir bien se défendre
to be quite capable of looking after oneself
savoir, c'est pouvoir
knowledge is power
savoir écouter
to be a good listener
savoir gré à quelqu'un de + past infinitive
to be grateful to someone for...
savoir quelque chose de/par quelqu'un
to hear something from someone
ne pas savoir que/quoi faire pour...
to be at a loss as to how to...
ne plus savoir ce qu'on dit
to not know/realize what one is saying, to not be aware of what one is saying
ne savoir à quel saint se vouer
to not know which way to turn
ne savoir aucun gré à quelqu'un de + past infinitive
to not be at all grateful to someone for...
ne savoir où donner de la tête
to not know whether one is coming or going
ne savoir où se mettre
to not know where to put oneself
se savoir + adjective
to know that oneself is + adjective
Ça, je sais (le) faire
Now that I can do
Ça finira bien par se savoir
It'll get out in the end
Ça se saurait si c'était vrai
If it were true people would know about it
Ces explications ont su éclairer et rassurer
These explanations proved both enlightening and reassuring
C'est difficile à savoir
It's hard to know
croire tout savoir
to think that one knows everything/knows it all
Dieu sait pourquoi...
God knows why...
Dieu sait si...
God knows how (much)...
Dieu seul le sait
God only knows
en savoir trop (long)
to know too much
et que sais-je encore
and I don't know what else
faire savoir à quelqu'un que...
to inform someone, let someone know that...
Faudrait savoir ! (informal)
make up your mind, it's about time we knew
Il a toujours su y faire/s'y prendre
He's always known how to do things (the right way)
Il faut savoir attendre
You have to learn to be patient/to wait
Il faut savoir se contenter de peu
You have to learn to be content with little
il n'a rien voulu savoir
he didn't want to know
Il ne sait ni A ni B
He doesn't have a clue about anything
Il ne sait pas ce qu'il veut
He doesn't know what he wants, he doesn't know his own mind
Il ne sait rien de rien
He doesn't have a clue about anything
Il y a je ne sais combien de temps que...
It's been I don't know how long since, I don't how long it is/it has been since...
Je crois savoir que ...
I believe/understand that ..., I am led to believe/understand that ...
Je n'en sais rien
I don't know, I have no idea
Je ne sache pas que...
I wasn't aware/I didn't know that...
je ne sais où
goodness knows where
Je ne sais plus ce que je dis
I no longer know what I'm saying
je ne sais quoi de + adj
something (odd, familiar, etc)
Je ne saurais pas vous répondre/vous renseigner
I'm afraid I can't answer you/give you any information
Je ne saurais vous exprimer toute ma gratitude (formal)
I shall never be able to express my gratitude
Je ne savais quoi (or que) dire/faire
I didn't know what to say/do
Je ne veux pas le savoir (informal)
I don't want to know
J'en sais quelque chose (informal)
I can relate to that
Je sais bien, mais ...
I know, but ...
Je sais ce que je sais
I know what I know
Je voudrais en savoir davantage
I'd like to know more about it
Monsieur, Madame, Mademoiselle je-sais-tout (informal)
smart-alec, know-it-all
l'objet que vous savez
you-know-what
On ne sait jamais
You never know
Oui, mais sachez que...
Yes, but you should know that...
pas que je sache
not as far as I know, not to my knowledge
la personne que vous savez
you-know-who
pleurer tout ce qu'on savait (informal)
to cry for all one is worth, to cry one's eyes out
pour autant que je sache
as far as I know, to the best of my knowledge
que je sache
as far as I know, to the best of my knowledge
Qu'en savez-vous?
How do you know? What do you know about it?
Qui sait ?
Who knows?
Sachez (bien) que jamais je n'accepterai !
I'll have you know/Let me tell you I will never accept!
Sachons-le bien, si ...
Let's be quite clear, if ...
sans le savoir
without knowing/realizing (it), unknowingly, unwittingly
si j'avais su
had I known, if I had known
Tout ce que vous avez toujours voulu savoir sur...
Everything you've always wanted to know about...
Tu en sais, des choses (informal)
you certainly know a thing or two, don't you!
tu sais (interjection)
you know
Tu sais quoi ? (informal)
You know what ?
Vous n'êtes pas sans savoir que... (formal)
You are not unaware/ignorant (of the fact) that...
Vous savez la nouvelle ?
Have you heard/Do you know the news?
le savoir
learning, knowledge
le savoir-être
interpersonal skills
le savoir-faire
know-how, expertise
le savoir-vivre
manners
Savoir conjugations
