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Ils savent conduire, alors ils cherchent un raccourci.

Ils savent conduire, alors ils cherchent un raccourci.
They know how to drive, so they are looking for a shortcut.
From Lesson 88:Knowing facts vs. familiarity (savoir, connaître)·French

Questions & Answers about Ils savent conduire, alors ils cherchent un raccourci.

Why is savent used here instead of a form of connaître?
We use savoir when talking about knowing how to do a skill or an action. It is followed by an infinitive verb, like conduire (to drive) in this sentence. Connaître is used for being familiar with nouns like people or places.
Where is the word for "how" in savent conduire?
In French, the "how" is built into the verb savoir when it is followed by an infinitive. You do not need to add a word like comment. Ils savent conduire directly means "They know how to drive."
Where is the word for "for" in ils cherchent un raccourci?
The French verb chercher means "to look for" all by itself. You never add an extra word like pour (for) after it. You just put the thing you are looking for directly after the verb.
Why isn't there a connecting word like à or de between savent and conduire?
Savoir connects directly to the next infinitive verb without needing a preposition. It works just like vouloir (to want) or pouvoir (can), where the second action attaches directly.

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