Surent (en. Know)

/syʁɑ̃/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

Conjugated form of the verb 'savoir' for they (masculine or feminine).

They knew that the meeting had been canceled.

Ils surent que la réunion avait été annulée.

Indicates that people have acquired knowledge or a skill.

They knew how to resolve the problem quickly.

Elles surent comment résoudre le problème rapidement.

Used in a historical context to talk about past knowledge.

The ancients knew much more than we think.

Les anciens surent bien plus que nous ne le pensons.

The word 'surent' comes from the verb 'savoir', having Latin roots.

know it inside out

To be an expert in a field

savoir sur le bout des doigts

know in advance

To know something before it happens

savoir à l'avance

know-how

To have the necessary skills to achieve something

savoir faire

savoir

Knowledge acquired through experience or study

savoir

connaître

To have knowledge or experience of something

connaître

apprendre

To acquire knowledge or skills through study

apprendre

To be in the know

They are aware of what is happening right now.

Ils sont surs de ce qu'il se passe en ce moment.

To know what’s going on

All the team members knew the trick before the meeting started.

Tous les membres de l'équipe surent l'astuce avant le début de la réunion.