nunca lo sabrás
/nunka lo sabɾas/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you will never know" is translated into Spanish as nunca lo sabrás.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nunca (never), lo (it) and sabrás (you will know).
Which one should you use?
Using sabrás (from the verb saber) implies knowing a fact or piece of information, whereas conocerás would imply meeting or becoming acquainted with a person or place.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form sabrás is the second-person singular future indicative of the verb saber.
Did you know?
- The word nunca comes from the Latin numquam, which combined the words for 'not' and 'ever'. This makes it a linguistic mirror of the English word 'never'.
- In Spanish, the pronoun lo in this phrase acts as a 'neuter' object, which refers to an abstract idea or a whole situation rather than a specific masculine noun.
- Because nunca is a strong negative, placing it at the start of the sentence adds more dramatic emphasis than placing it after the verb.
Examples in context
- Tú nunca lo sabrás.You will never know.
- Jamás sabrás la verdad absoluta.You will never know the absolute truth.
- Nunca lo sabrás porque es un secreto.You will never know because it's a secret.
- Si no preguntas, nunca lo sabrás.If you don't ask, you will never know.
- Es un secreto y nunca lo sabrás.It is a secret and you will never know.
- Podrías haber ido, pero nunca lo sabrás.You could have gone, but you will never know.
Example conversation
Daniel is teasing Lucía about a surprise she almost missed.
- Lucía¿Qué me querías decir ayer?What did you want to tell me yesterday?
- DanielSi no te lo digo ahora, nunca lo sabrás.If I don't tell you now, you will never know.
- Lucía¡No seas malo, Daniel!Don't be mean, Daniel!
- DanielEs una broma, te lo contaré luego.It's a joke, I will tell you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, nunca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
