no estoy seguro
/no estoi seɡuɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am unsure" is translated into Spanish as no estoy seguro.
For a more formal way to say you lack certainty, you can use No tengo certeza. If you want to express a lack of knowledge, use no sé instead. In informal settings, you can use the lighthearted expression No tengo ni idea. (I have no idea) or No tengo ni la más mínima idea. (I don't have the slightest idea).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally a negation of "I am sure", composed of no (not), estoy (I am) and seguro (sure).
Which one should you use?
While no estoy seguro expresses a lack of certainty or confidence, no sé expresses a lack of knowledge.
How does it change in a sentence?
A female speaker must use the feminine form no estoy segura instead of the masculine no estoy seguro. When specifying what you are unsure about, you often add the preposition de before the object or pronoun, such as in no estoy seguro de ello.
Did you know?
- If you use the word seguro as a noun instead of an adjective, you are referring to an 'insurance policy'.
- Depending on the context, no estoy seguro can be misinterpreted as 'I am not safe' because seguro also means 'safe'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, people will prefix no estoy seguro with la verdad to mean 'to be honest' rather than literally referring to 'the truth'.
Examples in context
- No estoy seguro si la reunión se llevará a cabo mañana.I'm not sure if the meeting will take place tomorrow.
- No tengo ni la más mínima idea de dónde dejé mis llaves.I don't have the slightest idea where I left my keys.
- No estoy seguro de la respuesta.I am unsure of the answer.
- Lo siento, no estoy seguro de qué hacer.I'm sorry, I am unsure what to do.
- No estoy seguro de si va a llover.I am unsure if it is going to rain.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing their weekend plans.
- Lucía¿Quieres ir al cine mañana, Javier?Do you want to go to the cinema tomorrow, Javier?
- JavierNo estoy seguro, tengo mucho trabajo.I am unsure, I have a lot of work.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, puedes decidir luego.Don't worry, you can decide later.
- JavierEstá bien, te aviso pronto.Okay, I will let you know soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
