"I know them."

Translation: Je les sais.

[ThommyTerneborn]

Why is "Je leur connais." wrong?

[beardchr]

leur is an indirect object pronoun...it means TO them. Used...je leur ai dit - I told them / I said to them OR je ll leur donne - I'm giving it to them. LES is the direct object pronoun and only means him or it. So je la regarde - I'm looking at it. Je les mange. - I'm eating them. So LEUR could not work here because connaitre would take the direct object pronoun...les since the les / they are getting the action and it is not happening to them.

[beardchr]

I meant je le leur donne - I'm giving it to them...the le is the IT and leur is TO THEM

[northernguy]

In this sentence them is a direct object of know.

Know ...who/what = them = direct object.

Direct object form. = me, te, le/ la, nous, vous, les(third person plural).
them = third person plural = les.

I know them = je les connais.

[pcuci]

Wouldn't "Je les sais" also be a good translation, instead of "connais"?

[asemaika]

no, i believe connais actually refers to knowing people. Whereas savoir - to knowing objects.

[noranovak]

Funny. I interpreted "them" as some kind of item (answers, words) rather than people in this question and answered "je les sais"...in which case I should be right! N'est-ce pas?

[dannilo3]

Well, asemaika's answer is kind of simplified. To expand on it, connaître and savoir both mean "to know," but they have different flavors in their meanings (if that makes sense).

Connaître is used when you know people, or are familiar with something.
Savoir is the general "to know" verb. It is also the only one that can be used with verbs. Ex: I know how to speak French / je sais parler français.

This may help more: http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/savoirconnaitre.htm

[noranovak]

Ahh! The tip about savoir being used with another verb is very helpful. Thanks!

[n6zs]

"Connaître" is not specific to people. Think of it as "acquainted with", "familiar with", "know about".

[rueter.jack]

I know the answers = I know them = Je les sais. :)

[CJ.Dennis]

I am familiar with the answers = I know them = Je les connais. :)

[Matthew694784]

Sais is not even one of the choices!!!

[_Klaus]

Connait/ sait what is the difference?

[chaudhryjunaid]

This will help you:
http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/savoirconnaitre.htm

[mustafa10]

why is "Je sais eux" wrong?

[Duglaiglas]

EUX = is a generalized "them" -- what flowers do you want?? --- EUX (them).

Your answer may probly sound like:

"I (may/kinda/sorta) know (some very vague) them"

----> "who are we talking about?" would be the next natural question (from confusion).

TO QUOTE: Dannilo3 (above)
Connaître is used when you know people, or are familiar WITH something. Savoir is the general "to know" verb. It is also the only one that can be used with verbs. Ex: I know how to speak French / je sais parler français.

[EllySloot]

Je les sais? ?

[Kurushii_Drive]

Technically that would be correct if the 'them' in the sentence referred to objects rather than people. The context of the sentence isn't too clear, but nevertheless know that connaître is used to say that you know someone or are familiar with something, whereas savoir is used to say that you know how to do something or know something as by memory.

I'm not sure whether a moderator will fix this sentence to allow both, or make the context clearer. :/

Btw @asemaika gives a good answer above, too. A question similar to yours was asked.

[La_Mariette]

What is the difference between connaître (quelqu'un) and connaître à (quelqu'un)?