je te connais
In French, 'I know you' is said as je te connais.
This phrase is used to state that you are familiar with someone or have met them previously.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je te connais literally translates to 'I you know', following a subject-object-verb order where te (you) is placed before the conjugated verb connais (know).
Which one should you use?
While je te connais is used for familiarity with an individual, je vous connais is the version used when addressing a group of people or when a different level of formality is required.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the negative form, 'I don't know you', place ne before the pronoun and pas after the conjugated verb, resulting in je ne te connais pas.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use je sais to mean you are acquainted with a person. savoir is used for facts or information, whereas connaître is the correct verb for people or familiarity.
Did you know?
- If you say je te connais to a stranger in a casual setting, it can sometimes carry a playful or even accusatory undertone, implying 'I know what you are really like' or 'I know your tricks'.
- The pronoun te in je te connais descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *te, making it a very distant relative of the English word 'thee'.
- While you use connaître to say 'I know you', the verb can also be used to express that you are an expert in a particular field or know your way around a city.
Examples in context
- Est-ce que je te connais ?Do I know you?This sentence is useful for asking if you are acquainted with the person.Tatoeba #1462560 by sacredceltic, translation #1461944 by Spamster
- Il me semble que je te connais.I feel like I know you.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling of familiarity.Tatoeba #2416723 by sacredceltic, translation #2326000 by CK
- D'où est-ce que je te connais ?Where do I know you from?This sentence is useful for asking about the source of your acquaintance with someone.Tatoeba #10712301 by xhlulu, translation #3824483 by CK
- Bonjour, Monsieur Dupont. Je vous connais depuis longtemps.Hello, Mr. Dupont. I've known you for a long time.
- Salut Julien ! Bien sûr que je te connais, nous sommes amis depuis l'école !Hi Julien! Of course, I know you. We've been friends since school!
- Bonjour, Madame Dubois. Je vous connais de réputation.Hello, Mrs. Dubois. I know you by reputation.
- Salut Thomas ! Je te connais depuis toujours, on est voisins !Hi Thomas! I've known you forever, we're neighbors!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon meet at a local coffee shop.
- GabrielJe te connais, Manon.I know you, Manon.
- ManonVraiment ? On s'est déjà vus ?Really? Have we met before?
- GabrielOui, on était dans la même école.Yes, we were in the same school.
- ManonAh, c'est vrai, je me souviens de toi !Ah, that's true, I remember you!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
