🤷

How to Say ‘I don't know’ in French

Je ne sais pas

zhuh nuh seh pah

[zhuh nuh seh pah]

💬 Usage Tip: In everyday speech the ne usually drops out, and you'll hear something like (shay pah).

Phrase Breakdown

Je ne

zhuh nuh

I (do) not

The start of a negation, said smoothly as 'zhuh nuh'.

Example

Je ne sais rien.

I know nothing.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[nuh]

not

Used to make a negative.

Example

Je ne sais pas.

I do not know.

sais pas

seh pah

know (not)

'Sais' sounds like 'say'. In casual speech, people often say just 'sais pas'.

Example

Sais pas, demande à Paul.

Dunno, ask Paul.

Words in this phrase

sais

[seh]

know

From savoir; with an infinitive, it often means “know how to.”

Example

Qu'est-ce que tu sais faire ?

What can you do?

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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