How Do You Say I Dont Know in French?
Download Commodity
Download Article
And then you desire to say "I don't know" in French, but you don't know how to say that you lot don't know how to say "I don't know." Never fearfulness. Say "Je ne sais pas" (juh-nuh-say-pah) for a simple "I don't know," or learn more than complex phrases to communicate more deeply.
-
ane
Say "Je ne sais pas. " This translates directly to "I don't know [a specific affair]". Pronounce it as "juh-nuh-say-pah" or "shu-nu-say-pah". To pronounce the "je" similar "shu", shape your mouth like you are outset to "burke" someone, but behave on the "sh" sound past following with a audio almost halfway between "uh" and "ooo". This should audio something like "eu". The "ne" is like: just supercede the "sh" with a "n" sound.
- Notation: in mod spoken French, the "je" and "ne" ("I" and "don't") often glide together, so you may sound more authentic if y'all slur your syllables—as in, "jeun-say-pah," or fifty-fifty "shay-pah".[1]
- If y'all want to be especially polite, say, "I don't know, sorry." In French, that's "Je ne sais pas, deslolée." Pronounce "desolée" as "dez-oh-lay".
- Deport in mind that the negating "ne" is always used in written French, but is often dropped in informal spoken French. One might say to a friend, for instance, "Je sais pas," and hateful something like "I dunno."[2]
-
ii
Understand the function of each discussion in the phrase "je ne sais pas." "Je," ne," "sais," and "pas":
- "Je" is the first person bailiwick, or "I".
- "Sais" is the beginning person conjugation of "savoir", a verb which translates equally "to know something". Always put the "ne" earlier the verbal tense and the "pas" after it.
- "Pas" loosely translates every bit "not".
- "Ne" doesn't really mean anything, and is more a formality of grammar that accompanies "pas". This is why a person speaking informally tin omit the "ne" and simply say "Je sais pas."
Advertising
-
3
Apply "Je ne sais pas" in a judgement. Add together the specific thing that you don't know to the end of the phrase—this can be a piece of data, or it can be a sure thing with which you are non familiar. Review the following examples:
- "Je ne sais pas parler français" means "I don't know how to speak French."
- "Je ne sais pas la réponse" ways "I don't know the answer."
- "Je ne sais pas nager" ways "I don't know how to swim."
- "Je ne sais quoi faire" means "I don't know what to do." The "pas" is unnecessary in this case considering the verb savoir is existence used with a question word.
Advertizement
-
i
Say "Je ne comprends pas. " This means "I don't understand." Pronounce it "juh-nuh com-prond pah". This is a good phrase to use if you are trying to hold a conversation with someone in French, merely you but don't know how to translate something that they just said. If you lot say information technology politely, odds are your conversation partner will be understanding.
-
2
Say "Je ne parle pas (le) français. " This translates to "I don't speak French."[iii] Pronounce it "juh-nuh pahl-pah frahn-say". This is a skilful way to politely inform people that you aren't equipped to agree a chat in French. If yous want to endeavor to start a conversation with someone, however, you might just say "Je ne parle qu'united nations peu le français,"—"I only speak a lilliputian French." Pronounce it "juh-nuh pahl koon pay-oo le frahn-say".
- If someone stops you on the Paris metro and starts speaking aggressively to you in frenzied French, y'all might exist able to plough them away by looking dislocated and saying "Je ne parle pas français."
- If you lot're trying to impress your swain'due south French grandparents, grin and sheepishly say "Je suis desolée—je ne parle qu'united nations peu le français."
-
3
Say "Parlez-vous anglais? " This straight translates to "Practise you speak English?" Pronounce it "Par-lay-voo ahn-glay?"[four] If you are learning French and you are still a beginner, you may come to a bespeak at which communicated efficiently is a matter of safe or keen convenience. Depending on where you are, you may or may not discover someone who speaks fluent English—but this is even so an important phrase to have in your arsenal.
-
4
Say "Je ne connais pas cette personne/place." This means "I don't know this/that person/place." Pronounce it "Juh-nuh-conn-eye pah." "Personne (pronounced "pair-sohn) ways "person". "Identify" (pronounced "plahss") means, quite literally, "identify".[5]
- Add a specific person or place name to the end of the phrase to make it more specific. For example: "Je ne connais pas Guillaume," or "Je ne connais pas Avignon."
-
5
Say "Je ne sais quoi." This is an expression that means "I don't know what." Je ne sais quoi is an indefinable, elusive quality, normally positive and ofttimes descriptive of someone'due south personality. The phrase is oftentimes colloquially interjected into English language speech. For instance: "The actress had a certain je ne sais quoi that immediately charmed everyone she met." Pronounce information technology "juh-nuh-say-kwa," and imitate a French accent if possible.[six]
Advertisement
Add New Question
-
Question
How do I ask my friend in French why she doesn't want to talk to me?
You can ask, "Pourquoi est-ce que tu ne veux pas parler avec moi?"
-
Question
How do I understand French slang?
Read to acquire. Also, sentinel movies as many French movies use French slang regularly.
-
Question
How do I say "I didn't empathise what you meant about the colors"?
CredlyCrab
Customs Answer
It would exist "Je n'ai pas compris ce que tu voulais dire à propos des couleurs."
-
Question
How do I say, "I don't know why" (equally in, I don't know why y'all say goodbye, I say hello)?
You would say "Je ne sais pas pourquoi" (I don't know why).
-
Question
How do I say, I'k non solitary in French ?
To say the English phrase "I am not alone" in the French language, say "je ne suis pas seul".
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a bulletin when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 76,808 times.
Did this article help yous?
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Say-%22I-Don%27t-Know%22-in-French
0 Response to "How Do You Say I Dont Know in French?"
Post a Comment