What does it mean word for word?
わかんない is a colloquial contraction of the verb wakaranai, which means "I don't understand" or "I don't know".
Which one should you use?
While わかんない is a casual contraction, 分からない is the standard informal way to say "I don't know". For more formal contexts, 詳しくはわかりません is used to convey that you do not know the specifics of a matter and 存じません is used in extremely formal situations or when speaking to someone of higher status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
わかんない is highly informal and should only be used with friends or in casual text messaging. For standard informal situations, use 分からない. In professional or respectful settings, use the more formal-sounding options like 詳しくはわかりません or 存じません.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, the variation わからへん is used instead of わからない or わかんない.
How do you pronounce it?
wakannai
Did you know?
- In Japanese text slang, the phrase わかんない is sometimes shortened even further to わかんぬ to sound cute or playful, similar to how English speakers might use 'idk'.
- The extremely formal version 存じません uses kenjougo, a type of humble language that intentionally lowers the speaker's social status to elevate the listener.
- While わかんない means 'I don't know', it is grammatically built on the 'potential form' of a verb, literally meaning 'it is not possible to understand'.
Examples in context
- すみませんが、その件について詳しくはわかりません。I'm sorry, but I don't know the specifics about that matter.
- 大変申し訳ありませんが、存じません。I deeply apologize, but I do not know.
- アニメの話はよく分からないんです。I'm not very knowledgeable about anime.
- 彼女の予定は全然わかんないよ。I have no idea about her plans at all.
- それについては、残念ながらわからないよ。Unfortunately, I don't know about that.
- なんでそんなことわからんの？Why don't you know something like that?
- この問題の答え、わからへんな。I don't know the answer to this problem.
- それ、全然わかんない。Sore, zenzen wakannai.I don't know that at all.
- 答えがわかんないんだけど。Kotae ga wakannai ndakedo.I don't know the answer, though.
- 使い方がわかんない。Tsukaikata ga wakannai.I don't know how to use it.
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting via text message about a homework assignment.
- 美咲 Misakiこの問題、どうやるの？Kono mondai, dou yaru no?How do you do this problem?
- 大翔 Hirotoごめん、俺もわかんない。Gomen, ore mo wakannai.Sorry, I don't know either.
- 美咲 Misakiショック。Shokku.That's a bummer.
- 大翔 Hiroto先生に聞いてみよう。Sensei ni kiite miyou.Let's try asking the teacher.
