Je sais parler français.

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Breakdown of Je sais parler français.

• le français: the French
• parler: to speak
• savoir: to know

Questions & Answers about Je sais parler français.

What is the literal translation of Je sais parler français?

It literally translates as I know to speak French, but more naturally it means I know how to speak French.

What does the conjugated verb sais indicate in this sentence?

Sais is the first person singular form of the verb savoir. It means know and shows that the speaker has the knowledge or skill—in this case, the ability to speak French.

Why is the verb savoir followed by the infinitive parler?

In French, when expressing knowing how to do something, the structure used is savoir + an infinitive. Here, sais parler communicates that the speaker has learned or acquired the ability to speak French.

How does savoir differ from connaître in French?

Savoir is used for knowing facts or how to perform a skill (like speaking a language), whereas connaître is used for being familiar with people, places, or things. So you say Je sais parler français for knowing how to speak French, but Je connais Paris when referring to being familiar with Paris.

Why is there no article before français in the sentence?

In French, when you mention a language after verbs like parler, you do not use an article. That’s why it’s simply parler français rather than parler le français.

Can this sentence be rephrased using another verb to express the ability to speak French?

Yes, you could say Je peux parler français, which translates to I can speak French. While both expressions indicate the ability, Je sais parler français emphasizes that you’ve learned the skill, whereas Je peux parler français focuses more on your capacity to speak it.