French · Real conversations
How to say “How do you know ...?” in French
Ask about someone's connection to a mutual acquaintance.
Comment connais-tu … ?
How do you know …?
Replace the gap with the person's name and use the construction shown in the example.
Use it in three situations
A mutual friend
Comment connais-tu Anna ?
How do you know Anna?
A colleague
Comment connais-tu mon collègue ?
How do you know my colleague?
A family connection
Comment connais-tu ma mère ?
How do you know my mother?
What to watch for
Knowing a person and knowing a fact can use different verbs in the target language.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine meeting people. Say this in French: How do you know my colleague?
Reveal a sample reply
Comment connais-tu mon collègue ?
How do you know my colleague?
Build a useful exchange
Start a friendly exchange and find a connection.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking French
Use vous with strangers, staff, and people you address formally; use tu when that relationship is established. Je voudrais and pourriez-vous can make a request considerate. The most appropriate choice depends on the person and the situation.
Keep accents and apostrophes. A familiar spoken expression may differ from its literal English translation. Read the complete line, including the pronoun and the words that connect the request.
