keine Ahnung
/ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈʔaːnʊŋ/word by word
The German phrase for "no idea" is keine Ahnung.
keine Ahnung is used to express that you do not know something. In spoken German, it is common to use the phrase elliptically as a complete sentence, such as simply saying Keine Ahnung! instead of the full sentence Ich habe keine Ahnung.
Meaning: I don't know (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "no idea", where keine means "no/none" and Ahnung means "idea/inkling".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using keine Ahnung as a standalone response to a question is common in casual conversation but is considered informal. Another informal way to convey that you are overwhelmed or beyond what you can answer is Da bin ich überfragt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase keine Ahnung is in the accusative case because it functions as the direct object of the verb haben (to have).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈʔaːnʊŋ/
Did you know?
- If you want to sound more dramatic or certain of your ignorance, you can say Keinen blassen Schimmer. This translates to 'not even a pale shimmer', suggesting you are completely in the dark.
- A very common slang version used by younger generations is to simply say Keine Plan, though grammatically it should be Keinen Plan.
- The noun Ahnung is derived from the verb ahnen, which means to sense or suspect something without concrete proof. It implies a gut feeling or a premonition rather than a logical thought.
Examples in context
- Ich habe keine Ahnung.I have no idea.Tatoeba #666568 by kolonjano, translation #273786 by CK
- Ihr habt keine Ahnung.You've got no idea.This sentence demonstrates the phrase being used with the plural 'ihr'.Tatoeba #8056636 by Luiaard, translation #11910152 by sundown
- Du hast keine Ahnung, oder?You have no idea, do you?This sentence shows the phrase used in a question format.Tatoeba #3783284 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3774689 by Hybrid
- Ich bin total ratlosI am completely clueless
- Ich habe keinen blassen SchimmerI have no clue whatsoever
- 319 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are looking for a lost key.
- LukasWeißt du, wo der Schlüssel ist?Do you know where the key is?
- HannahKeine Ahnung, Lukas.No idea, Lukas.
- LukasHast du ihn in der Küche gesehen?Did you see it in the kitchen?
- HannahNein, ich habe wirklich keine Ahnung.No, I really have no idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no idea” translations and entries keine Ahnung, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (keine, Ahnung) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ahnung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
