If you're going to France (or are currently there) and suddenly a French approaches you, saying something that sounds totally incomprehensible, how would you respond? 'Je ne sais pas' is one of the ways to say 'I don't know' in French. If you want to learn more, then this is the perfect place to learn other ways to say I don't know in French!
Yes, we know you're here because you don't know the exact words and phrases in French which signify the meaning of 'I don't know'. Today, let's see some of the French common phrases that are used to say I don't know.
This is one of the most used phrases by people in France to convey that you don't know something. The translation of je ne sais pas is quite direct:-
So, if someone asks a question but you do not know how to respond, you may use this particular phrase and say "je ne sais pas", especially in a formal setting.
If you want to sound more polite, you can add the word 'sorry' at the end of this phrase; I don't know, sorry. In the French language, sorry is translated as désolé(e);
Use this phrase instead of just saying je ne sais pas if you want to sound more courteous and well-mannered especially if you are responding to a stranger or an elderly.
Like the first one, this phrase has the exact same meaning. The only difference is that the word 'ne' has been omitted from the phrase. Just so you know, 'ne' is always used in French written form but not so much in the spoken context as it is known as an element of formality. So, dropping out the 'ne' from je ne sais pas would bring a similar meaning in a more casual context, which is 'I dunno'.
This is the perfect response to use if some French people ask or say things in the French language but you don't know any French to start with. So, instead of just randomly saying je ne sais pas, you can say these words instead:
By saying these words to a French person, they would definitely stop talking to you, especially in French. So, you might need to take your time to discover and learn more about the French language. Remember that it is important to understand people and the culture while you are learning a different language.
Okay then, how about if someone asks you a question in French and you totally get what they mean - but you just really don't know the answer? You could use these words to reply as its translation convey the exact intended meaning!
If something interesting occurred among you and your French friends, family, or acquaintances, and they require to get some information from you, you can use je ne sais pas ce qu'il s’est passé to respond to their question. This expression means that you don't know what happened.
If you're a beginner in learning French but eager to speak with the locals, don't be surprised if you can't understand what they say. Since they are native speakers and you're just starting to learn their mother tongue, what they say can make no sense to you at all.
So, let's just be frank and tell your interlocutor that you don't understand a thing by uttering these words:
By right, the French native will either rephrase his words to sound simpler or maybe he'll ignore you and ditch the conversation (but most French people wouldn't do this - they're really friendly!)
Here's another way for you to say that you totally don't understand:
If you're quite proficient in French or let's say you're an intermediate French non-native speaker and you don't get certain words - you can ask them specifically about what that certain word means. You can try to ask for its translation in English or further explanation or definition of the word in simpler words by saying;
This expression is usually used in a formal context. In casual French, you can say "Ça veut dire quoi X?" instead, which carries the exact same meaning - only that it sounds much more friendly and informal.
Similar to the previous example and context, this particular expression can be used to ask "How do you say X in French?"
This is absolutely one of the most important basic expressions you need to know and keep under your sleeves especially when travelling to France - it'll extremely help you along the way.
Surely, the phrase above is most suitable for informal circumstances. For something more casual, you can use these words instead:
Here is a list of other expressions in French that may help you in learning the language. Look at each example and see how it is normally used:
| FRENCH | ENGLISH |
| Pourquoi est-ce que tu ne veux pas parler avec moi? | Why don’t you want to talk to me? |
| Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement? | Could you please speak slower? |
| Je crois que j’ai compris, mais je ne suis pas tout à fait sûr! | I think I got it, but I’m not quite sure! |
| Vous comprenez? | Do you understand? |
| Parlez-vous anglais? | Do you speak English? |
| Je ne connais pas cette personne | I don't know this/that person |
| Je ne sais quoi faire | I don’t know what to do |
From today's blog, there are a lot of examples of how to use multiple expressions to signify the fact that you have no idea how to respond to some questions. Learning how to say I don't know in French may save you a lot of trouble during your trip!
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