Learn 10 ways to say I don’t know in English. How to use ‘who knows’ and ‘I haven’t the foggiest’meaning.Β
Plenty of examples. Enjoy your English!
Harry
Harry is a native English teacher with over 10 years of experience both online and in face-to-face lessons. With his extensive experience in business, he specialises in Business English but happily teaches ESL students with any English learning needs.
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10 ways to say I don't know in English
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Hi there,Β this is Harry and welcome backΒ to my EnglishΒ lessons. Today,Β we’re going to look at someΒ different ways in which you can sayΒ βIΒ don’t knowβ.Β So Iβll give you 10 ways to say I donβt know in English.
Of course, you can just shrug your shouldersΒ and that often works.
But there are times when you need to use more words and phrases. AndΒ perhaps you can’t shrug your shouldersΒ when you’re talkingΒ to your boss.
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INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
The first one we can say is:
IΒ haveΒ no idea
Examples:
I have no idea where your order is. I need to go and check.
I have absolutely no idea what youβre talking about!
I have no idea where you left your wallet.
The second option I have for youΒ is
IΒ haven’t the foggiest
Meaning you donβt know, you canβt see the solution in front of you.
It’s an unusual word and I’m sure there are many of you out there that have never heard of the word βfoggiestβ. But Iβm sure you heard of the word βfogβ. In October and November, we get warm days and cold nights and when you wake up in the morning, you’ve got some fog that you can’t really see through. So this is what we mean when you haven’t the foggiest.
Examples:
I haven’t the foggiest what to do for my husbandβs 30s. He doesnβt want a party.
Emma’s got skis and not the foggiest what to do with them!
To be honest, I haven’t really got the foggiest what to do next.
10 ways to say I don't know in English
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The third choice is connected with the wordΒ clue. And we can use this inΒ different ways.Β We can say
IΒ have no clue/ IΒ haven’t a clue or I’m clueless
They really all mean the same thing.
Examples:
I have no clue what to do with this order, we somehow need to sort out this mess.
Iβm absolutely clueless what to give my mother for Christmas.
I havenβt a clue where your keys are.
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And the next one I have for you isΒ
your guess is as good as mine
We will use itΒ in aΒ more informal way.
Example:
π© Daniel is really struggling with maths. We donβt seem to be able to help him.
π¨β𦱠Oh, your guess is as good as mine. What can we do? Weβve tried everything.
The nextΒ expression we use is
it beats me
Meaning IΒ am reallyΒ strugglingΒ to find an answer to it
Examples:
It really beats me how she got this promotion.
It beats me how this programme works.
10 ways to say I don't know in English
Number six on the list is
don’tΒ ask me
This is informal andΒ quite funny way toΒ say βIΒ don’t knowβ.
Example:
Don’t ask me, I haven’t seen Jack since March.
Number seven on theΒ list is
I’m not sure
This is the best answer to give in a situationΒ when you have some idea but not 100% sure.
Example:
π§What do you think of Markβs report?
π¨π½βπ¦° Well, Iβm not sure, I donβt know whether that whatβs the boss wants to see.
Number eightΒ is
that’s a goodΒ question
This is a perfect way to say βI donβt knowβ when you donβt want to say that you really donβt know the answer. If you ever see politicians interviewed, this is the answer they use when theyβre stuck.
Example:
π¨ When will the hospital be finished?
π± That’s a good question.
10 ways to say I don't know in English
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Number nine isΒ very formal
I’ll look into it and get back to you
We use this expression when weΒ really don’t want the other person toΒ knowΒ that we have no clue what they’reΒ talking about.
Example:
π§πΏ What is the sales figure for the month?
π©π½β𦲠I’ll look into it and get back to you.
And the last one, number ten is
who knows / how would I know
ThisΒ slightlyΒ rhetorical way to say βI donβt knowβ in English.
Example:
Since she hasn’t studied at all I don’t think she’ll pass the test, but who knows?
10 ways to say I don't know in English
So these are allΒ the ways to say I donβt know:
That’s the end of ourΒ lessonΒ andΒ hope you’ve enjoyed it. I’ve really enjoyedΒ talking to you.Β Join me onΒ www.englishlessonviaskype.comΒ and see you again soon.
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