no sé
/ˌno ˈse/
The English phrase "I don't know" is translated into Spanish as no sé. Wiktionary also lists no lo sé and lo ignoro.
Meaning: I don’t know (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no sé | /ˌno ˈse/ |
| no lo sé | /ˌno lo ˈse/ |
| lo ignoro | /lo iɡnoɾo/ (from spelling rules) |
Use no sé when you lack information or knowledge about a specific fact or piece of data.
Which one should you use?
While no sé is a general way to say "I don't know", no lo sé specifically includes the direct object pronoun lo (it), meaning "I don't know it". For a much more formal way to express ignorance of a fact, you can use lo ignoro, which means "I ignore it" or "I am unaware of it".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression no tengo ni idea is common in Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
No sé is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb saber (to know a fact) preceded by the negation no.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌno ˈse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use no sé to mean "I don't know a person".
Did you know?
- While no sé is a standard answer, people in many Spanish speaking countries often shrug their shoulders and make a clicking sound with their tongue to mean 'I don't know' without speaking.
- In some contexts, no sé is used as a filler phrase similar to 'I don't know' or 'like' in English, used to express hesitation rather than a literal lack of knowledge.
- The word no in Spanish is inherited from the Latin nōn, making it a close relative of the French non and the Italian no.
Examples in context
- Yo ya no sé.I don't know anymore.This sentence uses no sé to express that the knowledge is no longer held.Tatoeba #4527035 by cueyayotl, translation #6900628 by kaiperkins271
- No sé por qué.I don't know why.This sentence uses no sé to show lack of knowledge regarding a reason.Tatoeba #861928 by ildefonk, translation #1784975 by Amastan
- Yo no sé ruso.I don't know Russian.This sentence uses no sé to indicate a lack of knowledge regarding a language.Tatoeba #1386440 by marcelostockle, translation #681310 by Source_VOA
- ¿Cuál es la capital de Francia? Person A: No sé.What is the capital of France? Person B: I don't know.
- ¿Dónde quedan las llaves del carro? Person A: Ni idea.Where are the car keys? Person B: No idea.
- ¿Por qué llegó tarde el autobús? Person A: No tengo ni la menor idea.Why did the bus arrive late? Person B: I don't have the slightest idea.
- ¿Podría darme la cifra exacta de ventas del último trimestre? Person A: No tengo la respuesta.Could you give me the exact sales figure for the last quarter? Person B: I don't have the answer.
- 889 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about a missing book.
- Javier¿Sabes dónde está mi libro, María?Do you know where my book is, María?
- MaríaNo sé, Javier. Busca en la mesa.I don't know, Javier. Look on the table.
- Javier¿Y en la mochila?And in the backpack?
- MaríaNo sé, no he mirado.I don't know, I haven't looked.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I don't know” translations and entries no sé, no lo sé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, no, sé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
