The French verb "connaître" means "to know (people)" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "connaître" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
Jump to a tense
How to Conjugate "connaître" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | connais |
| tu | you (informal) | connais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | connaît |
| nous | we | connaissons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | connaissez |
| ils/elles | they | connaissent |
Elle connaît tous les voisins.
She knows all the neighbors.
How to Conjugate "connaître" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai connu |
| tu | you (informal) | as connu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a connu |
| nous | we | avons connu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez connu |
| ils/elles | they | ont connu |
Elle a connu beaucoup de gens.
She knew many people.
Want to actually remember these?
VerbPal drills "connaître" in real French sentences using spaced repetition.
Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "connaître" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | connaissais |
| tu | you (informal) | connaissais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | connaissait |
| nous | we | connaissions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | connaissiez |
| ils/elles | they | connaissaient |
Elle connaissait cette chanson par cœur.
She knew this song by heart.
How to Conjugate "connaître" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | connaîtrai |
| tu | you (informal) | connaîtras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | connaîtra |
| nous | we | connaîtrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | connaîtrez |
| ils/elles | they | connaîtront |
Il connaîtra les résultats demain matin.
He will know the results tomorrow morning.
How to Conjugate "connaître" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | connaîtrais |
| tu | you (informal) | connaîtrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | connaîtrait |
| nous | we | connaîtrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | connaîtriez |
| ils/elles | they | connaîtraient |
Elle connaîtrait ce chanteur.
She would know this singer.
Frequently Asked Questions About "connaître"
Is "connaître" regular or irregular in French?
"Connaître" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "connaître" mean in English?
The French verb "connaître" means "to know (people)" in English.
How do you conjugate "connaître" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → connais, tu → connais, il/elle/on → connaît, nous → connaissons, vous → connaissez, ils/elles → connaissent.
How many tenses does "connaître" have in French?
"Connaître" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
Master French verbs for real
Stop memorizing tables. Start speaking with confidence.
Try VerbPal Free3-day free trial. Cancel anytime.