Breakdown of Ils ne pensent pas que le robot sache contrôler la menace.
ils
they (masculine/mixed)
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
savoir
to know (a fact), to know how to
penser
to think
que
that (introducing a clause)
le robot
the robot
contrôler
to control
la menace
the threat
Questions & Answers about Ils ne pensent pas que le robot sache contrôler la menace.
Why is sache in the subjunctive here? Doesn't penser usually take the indicative?
Yes, affirmative statements with penser (like ils pensent que...) take the indicative because they express a certainty or a strong belief. However, when penser is made negative (ils ne pensent pas que...), it introduces doubt. This triggers the subjunctive, so we use sache instead of the indicative sait.
How do I form the subjunctive of savoir?
Savoir is highly irregular. Instead of taking the stem from the present tense 'ils' form like regular verbs do, it gets a completely new stem: sach-. You then add the regular subjunctive endings, giving us que le robot sache.
Why doesn't the French sentence have a word for 'how' in 'knows how to control'?
In French, the verb savoir followed directly by an infinitive automatically means 'to know how to do' an action. You don't need to translate 'how' (like adding comment); savoir contrôler perfectly translates to 'to know how to control'.
I sometimes mix up savoir and connaître. Why is it definitely savoir in this sentence?
Learn Ils ne pensent pas que le robot sache contrôler la menace and more in French
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free