Je ne suis pas sûr
The English phrase "I am not sure" is translated into French as Je ne suis pas sûr.
This phrase is used to express that you lack certainty about something. If you follow the phrase with a clause starting with que, the verb in that clause must be in the subjunctive mood.
Which one should you use?
You can also use the synonym Je ne suis pas certain to convey the same meaning. Je ne sais pas trop can also be used to mean "I don't really know" or "I'm not really sure".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal context, you can use Je ne suis pas certain(e). In colloquial speech, you may hear J'suis pas sûr(e), which is formed by dropping the ne and contracting suis. In casual spoken French, the ne in Je ne suis pas sûr is frequently dropped to become Je suis pas sûr.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the adjective sûr becomes sûre (as in Je ne suis pas sûre). Similarly, if using the synonym certain, the masculine form is certain and the feminine form is certaine.
Did you know?
- The word sûr comes from the Latin sēcūrus, which literally means 'free from care'.
- The spelling of sûr includes a circumflex accent over the 'u' to indicate that a letter, likely an 's', was once present in the word's history.
- In some highly formal or literary contexts, you might encounter the negation Je ne suis point sûr, where point replaces pas.
Examples in context
- Je ne suis pas sûr.I am not sure.This example shows the basic phrase.Tatoeba #6028368 by christian63, translation #1614914 by jose76c
- Je ne suis pas sûr de pouvoir venir avec toi.I am not sure whether I will be able to come with you.This sentence shows how to express uncertainty about an ability to do something.Tatoeba #567859 by sacredceltic, translation #561102 by kebukebu
- Je ne suis pas sûr de la prononciation de ce mot.I am not sure how to pronounce the word.This sentence shows how to express uncertainty regarding pronunciation.Tatoeba #12198 by dominiko, translation #45462 by CK
- Je ne suis pas sûr(e) de comprendreI am not sure I understand
- Je ne sais pas trop ce que je veuxI'm not really sure what I want
- Je ne suis pas vraiment sûr(e)I'm not really sure
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are discussing the weather for their picnic.
- LucasEst-ce qu'il va pleuvoir demain ?Is it going to rain tomorrow?
- ChloéJe ne suis pas sûr, je vais regarder.I am not sure, I will check.
- LucasC'est dommage si on ne peut pas y aller.It's a pity if we can't go.
- ChloéNe t'inquiète pas, Lucas, tout ira bien.Don't worry, Lucas, everything will be fine.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, ne, pas, suis, sûr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
