Distinguish Between French Verbs Savoir and Connaître

Distinguish Between French Verbs Savoir and Connaà ®tre French has two verbs which can be translated to the English verb to know: savoir and connaà ®tre. This can be confusing to English speakers (though it might be easy for Spanish speakers), because in fact there are distinct differences in meaning and usage for the two verbs. Possible Uses for Savoir to know how to do something; savoir is followed by an infinitive (note that the word how is not translated into French):Savez-vous conduire  ?Do you know how to drive?Je ne sais pas nager.I dont know how to swim.to know plus a subordinate clause:Je sais quil la fait.I know he did it.Je sais oà ¹ il est.I know where he is.In the passà © composà ©, savoir means to learn or to find out:Jai su quil la fait.I found out that he did it. Possible Uses for Connaà ®tre to know a personJe connais Pierrette.I know Pierrette.to be familiar or acquainted with a person or thingJe connais bien Toulouse.I know / am familiar with Toulouse.Je connais cette nouvelle - je lai lue lannà ©e dernià ¨re.I know / am familiar with this short story - I read it last year.In the passà © composà ©, connaà ®tre means to meet (for the first time) / become acquainted with:Jai connu Pierrette Lyon.I met Pierrette in Lyon.Note that connaà ®tre always needs a direct object; it cannot be followed by a clause or infinitive:Je connais son poà ¨me.I am familiar with his poem.Je connais bien ton pà ¨re.I know your father well.Nous connaissons Paris.We know/are familiar with Paris.Il la connaà ®t.He knows her. Savoir or Connaà ®tre For some meanings, either verb can be used. to know (have) a piece of information:Je sais / connais son nom.I know his name.Nous savons / connaissons dà ©j sa rà ©ponse.We already know his response.to know by heart (have memorized):Elle sait / connaà ®t cette chanson par cÅ“ur.She knows this song by heart.Sais-tu / Connais-tu ton discours par cÅ“ur?Do you know your speech by heart? Ignorer Ignorer is a related verb which means not to know in the sense of to be unaware of. Depending on the context, it can replace either ne pas savoir or ne pas connaà ®tre. Jignore quand il arrivera.I dont know when he is arriving.Il ignore Ionesco.Hes not aware of (doesnt know about) Ionesco.

Pig-Footed Bandicoot - Facts and Figures

Pig-Footed Bandicoot - Facts and Figures Name: Pig-Footed Bandicoot; also known as Chaeropus ecaudatus Habitat: Plains of Australia Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-100 years ago) Size and Weight: About six inches long and a few ounces Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Rabbit-like ears; narrow snout; long, spindly legs About the Pig-Footed Bandicoot As you can guess from its name, the Pig-Footed Bandicoot was one of the oddest prehistoric marsupials ever to grace Australias vast interior. This tiny plains-dweller had long, rabbit-like ears, a narrow, opossum-like snout, and exceptionally spindly legs with strangely toed feet, which gave it a comical appearance when hopping, walking or running. As far as is knownsince the last living individual was glimpsed over 100 years agothe Pig-Footed Bandicoot nested during the day in grass-lined burrows, and emerged at night to feed on grass seeds (though specimens in captivity enjoyed a more omnivorous diet). Its not clear exactly why the Pig-Footed Bandicoot went extinct. This tiny mammal managed to coexist, more or less, with the Australian aborigines for tens of thousands of years; most likely it was the much different farming practices of later European settlers that eroded its habitat and sources of food (it didnt help that the cats and dogs the settlers brought with them made quick snacks of the Pig-Footed Bandicoot, at least those individuals too slow to make a hasty escape). During the nineteenth century, a few European naturalists tried to study the rapidly dwindling Pig-Footed Bandicoot before it disappeared off the face of the earth. Amusingly, one adventurer went to great pains to obtain two live specimens from a tribe of Aboriginesand then was forced to eat them when he ran out of food! (See a slideshow of 10 Recently Extinct Marsupials)