Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no sé | /ˌno ˈse/ |
| no lo sé | /ˌno lo ˈse/ |
| lo ignoro | /lo iɡnoɾo/ (from spelling rules) |
Which one should you use?
no sé is the most common way to say "I don't know" and is used for both facts and general uncertainty. no lo sé includes the direct object pronoun lo (it), making it more specific than no sé when referring to a specific piece of information previously mentioned.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be very formal and stiff, you can use lo ignoro, which translates to "I am ignorant of it". For a formal way to say "I'm not aware", use No estoy al tanto. In informal settings, you can use Ni idea (No idea), No tengo ni idea (to express a complete lack of knowledge) or No tengo la menor idea (I have no idea whatsoever).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Colombia, the variation No sé, mano is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase no sé, the word sé is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb saber, which means to know a fact.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌno ˈse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb conocer (to be acquainted with) instead of saber when they mean they don't know a fact or a piece of information.
Did you know?
- The formal phrase lo ignoro uses the verb ignorar, which in English usually implies a conscious choice to ignore something, but in Spanish it simply means not knowing a fact.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying no sé while shrugging and slightly puffing out the cheeks is a common non-verbal accompaniment to the phrase.
- In Colombian Spanish, adding mano to no sé is a shorthand for hermano meaning 'brother', used as a friendly term of address for anyone, regardless of relation.
Examples in context
- Yo ya no sé.I don't know anymore.This example shows how to use no sé to express that you no longer know something.Tatoeba #4527035 by cueyayotl, translation #6900628 by kaiperkins271
- No sé por qué.I don't know why.This example uses no sé to express uncertainty about a reason.Tatoeba #861928 by ildefonk, translation #1784975 by Amastan
- Yo no sé ruso.I don't know Russian.This example uses no sé to express a lack of knowledge regarding a language.Tatoeba #1386440 by marcelostockle, translation #681310 by Source_VOA
- 889 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are at a cafe.
- Daniel¿Sabes si el café está abierto?Do you know if the cafe is open?
- MaríaNo sé, déjame mirar el horario.I don't know, let me look at the schedule.
- DanielEstá bien, María.That is fine, María.
- MaríaParece que sí está abierto.It looks like it is open.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
