Paul sait comment réagir calmement.

Paul knows how to react calmly.

Breakdown of Paul sait comment réagir calmement.

• Paul: Paul
• calmement: calmly
• comment: how
• savoir: to know

Questions & Answers about Paul sait comment réagir calmement.

Why is it "sait" and not "connaît"?

Use savoir with clauses and infinitives (knowing facts/how to do something); use connaître with nouns/pronouns (being familiar with someone/something). So: Paul sait comment réagir calmement is correct; Paul connaît comment réagir is incorrect. But you can say Paul connaît la bonne réaction.

Do I need "comment"? Can I say "Paul sait réagir calmement"?

Yes, Paul sait réagir calmement is perfectly natural and slightly more concise. Adding comment emphasizes the idea of “how” and mirrors English “knows how to,” but it’s not required.

Why isn’t there an "à" before "réagir"? I thought it was "réagir à".

Réagir takes à when you specify what you react to: réagir à une critique. Here, it’s an infinitive clause about manner—comment réagir—with no object, so no à. You can combine both: Paul sait comment réagir calmement à une critique.

Where should the adverb "calmement" go? Could it come before the verb?

Default placement is after the verb: réagir calmement. Alternatives: réagir avec calme or réagir de manière calme (more formal). Fronting (calmement réagir) is possible but stylistic/literary; avoid it in everyday speech.