Ways to Say "I don't know" in English
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I have no idea.
- Meaning: You don't know or have any information about something.
- Examples:
- "I have no idea where I left my keys."
- "Do you know who's coming to the party? I have no idea."
- "When will the meeting start? I have no idea."
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I have no clue.
- Meaning: Similar to "I have no idea," indicating a lack of knowledge.
- Examples:
- "Where's the nearest gas station? I have no clue."
- "How does this machine work? I have no clue."
- "What time does the store open? I have no clue."
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I don't know.
- Meaning: A straightforward way of saying you lack knowledge about something.
- Examples:
- "I don't know why he was upset."
- "Where did she go? I don't know."
- "I don't know how to solve this problem."
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I can't help you there.
- Meaning: You are unable to provide assistance or information in that situation.
- Examples:
- "Looking for a good book? I can't help you there."
- "I can't help you there with your math homework."
- "As for car repairs, I can't help you there."
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Beats me (informal)
- Meaning: An informal way of saying you have no idea.
- Examples:
- "Who's winning the game? It beats me."
- "Why is the traffic so bad today? It beats me."
- "How does this app work? It beats me."
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I'm not really sure.
- Meaning: You are uncertain or have doubts about something.
- Examples:
- "I'm not really sure if I can come to your party."
- "What does this word mean? I'm not really sure."
- "I'm not really sure what he meant by that."
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I've been wondering that, too.
- Meaning: You also have the same question or uncertainty.
- Examples:
- "Is the movie any good? I've been wondering that, too."
- "When will they announce the results? I've been wondering that, too."
- "What's the best route to take? I've been wondering that, too."
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Dunno (informal)
- Meaning: An informal and abbreviated way of saying "I don't know."
- Examples:
- "Where did he go? Dunno."
- "What time is it? Dunno."
- "How long will it take? Dunno."
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I haven't the faintest idea.
- This means You have absolutely no knowledge or information about something.
- Examples:
- "Who left this here? I haven't the faintest idea."
- "How does this gadget work? I haven't the faintest idea."
- "What will happen next in the story? I haven't the faintest idea."
Each phrase is a different way to express that you don't know something, ranging from formal to very informal in tone.