分かりません
wakarimasen
In Japanese, "I don't know" can be expressed as 分かりません (wakarimasen).
分かりません can mean both 'I don't know (the information)' and 'I don't understand (the meaning/logic)'. Other forms like Shiranai or Wakaranai are used casually, while Shirimasen is a polite way to say 'I don't know' used in formal situations like business meetings or when speaking to elderly individuals.
Meaning: I don’t know (intj)
Which one should you use?
While 分かりません is used for lack of understanding or comprehension, 知りません is used specifically for a lack of information or acquaintance with a person or fact.
How does it change in a sentence?
分かりません is the polite form, while the plain form 分からない is used in casual speech. If you need to express that you did not know something in the past, use the past tense form 分かりませんでした.
How do you pronounce it?
wakarimasen
Did you know?
- To avoid the bluntness of 分かりません, Japanese speakers often use the phrase ちょっと… (chotto…), which literally means 'a little bit' but functions as a polite way to signal 'I don't know' or 'I cannot answer'.
- The word 分かる is related to the concept of 'dividing' or 'separating' things into clear parts to make them understandable.
- In very formal Japanese, instead of using 分かりません, one might use the humble expression 存じ上げません (zonjiagemasen) to show respect to the listener.
Examples in context
- まだ分かりません。I don't know yet.This sentence is useful for saying you do not know something yet using 分かりません.Tatoeba #195394 by bunbuku, translation #32569 by CK
- 理由は分かりません。I don't know the reason.This sentence is useful for saying you do not know the reason using 分かりません.Tatoeba #11753081 by bunbuku, translation #8833462 by CK
- 名前は分かりません。I don't know his name.This sentence is useful for saying you do not know a name using 分かりません.Tatoeba #12474108 by small_snow, translation #260758 by CK
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are talking about a meeting location.
- 健太 Kenta場所はどこか知っていますか？Basho wa doko ka shitte imasu ka?Do you know where the place is?
- 美咲 Misakiすみません、分かりません。Sumimasen, wakarimasen.I'm sorry, I don't know.
- 健太 Kenta地図を確認しましょう。Chizu o kakunin shimashou.Let's check the map.
- 美咲 Misakiそうしましょう。Sou shimashou.Let's do that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 分かりません, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
