hindi ko alam
/hinˌdiʔ ko ʔaˈlam/
The English phrase 'I don't know' is translated into Tagalog primarily as hindi ko alam. Wiktionary also lists aywan ko and ewan ko.
Meaning: I don’t know (intj)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| hindi ko alam | /hinˌdiʔ ko ʔaˈlam/ (Standard Tagalog) /hinˌdi(ʔ) ko ʔaˈlam/ |
| aywan ko | /ʔajˈwan ko/ (Standard Tagalog) /ˈʔewan ko/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| ewan ko | /ˈʔewan ko/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| hindi ko po alam | /hinˌdiʔ ko ˌpoʔ ʔaˈlam/ (Standard Tagalog) /hinˌdi(ʔ) ko ˌpo(ʔ) ʔaˈlam/ |
These phrases are used to express a lack of knowledge or information. While hindi ko alam is the standard way to state you do not know something, other forms like ewan ko or aywan ko carry a more colloquial tone, often functioning as 'I have no idea.'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hindi ko alam literally breaks down to hindi (not), ko (I/by me) and alam (know).
Which one should you use?
hindi ko alam is the standard, neutral way to express a lack of information. ewan ko is a more casual, shorter alternative, while aywan ko is a colloquial variation of ewan ko used in very informal speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase hindi ko alam polite and respectful, you add po between ko and alam, resulting in hindi ko po alam.
How do you pronounce it?
/hinˌdiʔ ko ʔaˈlam/
Did you know?
- The word alam in hindi ko alam may be a distant relative of the Arabic word for 'world' or 'universe'. If this is the case, knowing something is linked to the concept of worldly experience.
- While hindi ko alam is the neutral way to say 'I don't know', using ewan ko with the wrong tone can sound dismissive or rude to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Hindi ko alam kung sino siya.I don't know who he is.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase hindi ko alam to say you don't know a person.Tatoeba #8666421 by England, translation #260118 by CK
- Hindi ko alam kung sino sila.I don't know who they are.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase hindi ko alam to say you don't know a group of people.Tatoeba #8666432 by England, translation #2361297 by CK
- Hindi ko alam kung magkano 'to.I don't know how much it cost.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase hindi ko alam to express you don't know a price.Tatoeba #5214342 by kanlaon, translation #5212498 by CK
- 73 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Ricardo are looking for a lost key.
- MariaNakita mo ba ang susi ko?Did you see my key?
- RicardoHindi ko alam, Maria.I don't know, Maria.
- MariaNasaan na kaya iyon?I wonder where it is?
- RicardoHindi ko rin alam.I don't know either.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I don't know” translations and entries hindi ko alam, aywan ko, ewan ko, hindi ko po alam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alam, aywan, hindi, ko, po, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
