Ways to Say "I don't know" - Level Up Your English Conversation

英语口语 — 说不知道的方式

Hi, I'm Martin.

嗨，我是Martin。

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

欢迎来到 Oxford Online English！

I’ve got a question: when’s my birthday?

我有一个问题：我的生日是什么时候？

I’ve got another question: how do you spell ‘miscellaneous’?

我有另一个问题：您怎样 拼写“miscellaneous”？

What’s one thousand and twenty four times forty-six point eight?

46点8的1024倍 是多少？

How high is Mount Everest, to the nearest centimetre?

圣母峰精确到厘米的高度是多少？

Probably, you don’t know the answer to all these questions.

有可能您不知道所有问题的答案。

That’s OK!

那还好！

No one knows everything.

没人知道所有事情。

But, how can you say ‘I don’t know’ in English?

但是，您能怎样用英语 来说“I don’t know”？

Of course, you can just say ‘I don’t know.’

当然，您可以只说“I don’t know.”

But, fluent English speakers use many different words and phrases, even for simple ideas like

但是，流利的讲英文的人使用很多 不同的单词和短语，即使是

this.

像这样的简单想法。

This video is part of our ‘level up’ series.

这个视频是我们的“level up”系列的一部分。

Are you bored of using the same phrases again and again?

您是否烦恼一而再，再而三的 使用同一个短语？

Do you want to use a wider range of language in everyday conversations?

您想在日常会话里使用 宽范围的说法吗？

This lesson will help!

这节课会帮您！

Don’t forget to check out other videos in our ‘level up’ series, too.

也不要忘记看我们的“level up” 系列里的其他视频。

Another thing: don’t forget to turn on subtitles if you need them!

另一件事：如果您需要看字幕， 不要忘记打开它。

This video has English subtitles; click the ‘CC’ button on the video player to turn

这个视频有英文和中文的字幕； 点击视频播放器上的“CC”

them on.

按键来打开它们。

Are you ready for your class?

您准备好上课了吗？

Let’s begin!

我们开始吧！

Have you seen my phone?

您看到我的电话了吗？

I’ve been looking for it everywhere!

我到处在找它！

Dunno where it is.

不知道它在哪。

Are you sure?

您确定？

I thought I left it in here.

我觉得我把它放在这里了，

How am I supposed to know?

我怎么会知道？

It’s your phone!

那是您的电话！

Well I can't leave without it.

好吧，没它我不能离开。

When was the last time you used it?

您最后一次用它是什么时候？

Mmm, I dunno…

嗯，我不知道…

I sent some messages this morning.

今天早上我有发了一些短信。

I’m pretty sure it was in here.

我很确定它是在这。

‘Dunno’ is a contraction and it is used informally.

“Dunno”是一个缩读词， 它是非正式的用法。

Use it when speaking to people you know well.

在您和很熟的人说时，用它。

You should probably avoid using ‘dunno’ in more formal situations

您有可能要在很正式的环境里避免使用

because it can sound like you’re not so interested in what the other party is asking

“dunno”，因为那听起来会像您对对方在问

you.

您的事情不感兴趣。

You might also write ‘dunno’ in informal messages or emails.

您也可能在非正式的短信或电邮里写“dunno”。

If someone asks you a question and there’s no way you could know the answer, you could

如果某人问您一个问题， 您没办法知道，您可以

say something like ‘How am I supposed to know?’

说某些事情像是“How am I supposed to know?”

This has more information than just ‘I don’t know’.

这比只说“I don’t know.”有更多的信息。

It says ‘I don’t know, and why do you think I would know?’

它是说“I don’t know, and why do you think I would know?”

It expresses frustration, so again, it’s not something you would generally use if you

它表达了消极意思，所以同样，如果 您想更有礼貌，一般来说，

want to be polite.

那不是您要用的东西。

That doesn’t mean that it’s rude!

那不意味着它是粗俗的！

It’s just that you should be aware of the situation when choosing your language.

那只是在您选择您的说法时 您要了解情形。

Where’s that vase that use to be on the table?

放在桌上的花瓶 到哪里去了？

There was a vase…?

有一个花瓶？

I haven’t got a clue.

我毫无头绪。

I didn’t even notice it was missing!

我甚至没注意到它不见了。

How is that even possible?

这怎么可能？

It was right there on the table.

它之前就在桌子上。

I’m sorry, you know I don’t really pay much attention to these kinds of things.

我很抱歉，您知道我真的没太 注意这类事情。

Wow, you *really* don’t have a clue, do you?

喔，您*真的*没有头绪，真的吗？

‘I haven’t got a clue’

“I haven’t got a clue”

emphasises that you don’t know something.

强调您不知道某些事情。

Use this to add some strength to the basic idea of ‘I don’t know’.

使用这个来增加“I don’t know” 原意的强度。

‘Have got’ and ‘have’ are used in the same way, so you can say ‘I haven’t

"Have got"和“have”的使用方式相同，所以您能说 “I haven’t

got a clue’ or ‘I don’t have a clue’.

got a clue”或“I don’t have a clue."

They’re both possible and they have the same meaning.

它们两者都有可能用到， 它们有相同的意思。

This scratch is new!

这个刮痕是新的。

Didn’t I tell you to be careful with my car?

我没有告诉您要小心我的车吗？

I *was* careful!

我*有*小心！

I have no idea how it happened!

我不知道那是怎么发生的！

Did it happen at the shopping centre, do you think?

那是在购物中心 发生的吗，您觉得呢？

I’m so sorry.

我很抱歉。

I really have no idea!

我真的不知道。

I was extra careful the whole time!

我一直都额外小心！

Well, you’d better pay for the repair.

好， 您最好支付维修费。

‘I have no idea’ is another strong phrase, which you can use to add emphasis.

“I have no idea”是另一种很强的您 能用来加强语气的短语。

If you want to make this idea even stronger, you could say ‘I really have no idea’

如果您想让这个意思甚至更强烈， 您可以说“I really have no idea”

or ‘I don’t have the faintest idea’.

或“I don’t have the faintest idea”。

It’s been raining for days!

下雨好几天了！

When’s it gonna stop?

它什么时候会停？

Who knows?

谁知道？

It’s been so unpredictable lately.

最近真是变幻莫测。

I wonder if it’ll stop in time for the street party on Sunday.

我想知道它会不会在周日 街道晚会那时候停。

Well, I suppose that’s anyone’s guess…

好，我想大家都这样想…

‘Who knows?’

”Who knows?“

goes further than saying ‘I don’t know’ – it means that not only do *you* not know,

比说“I don’t know”更进一步 – 它意思是不仅*您*不知道，

but nobody could know the answer to this question.

而且没人能知道这个问题的答案。

It’s often used to answer questions about the future.

那通常用于回答 关于将来的问题。

Imagine you have a friend who is very unreliable.

想像一下您有一个很不可靠的朋友。

This friend is always late.

这位朋友总是迟到。

You invited him for dinner, and of course he’s not on time.

您邀请他来晚餐，当然 他不会准时到。

When will he arrive?

他什么时候会到？

Who knows?

谁知道？

Could be in ten minutes, it could be in two hours.

可能10分钟内，也可能 在两个小时内。

There was a similar phrase you heard in the dialogue.

有一个您在对话里听到的 类似的短语。

Do you remember it?

您还记得吗？

You heard ‘That’s anyone’s guess’.

您听到“That’s anyone’s guess”。

This is also conversational, and is another way to say ‘no one could know the answer

这也是对话式的，是说 “no one could know the answer

to that.’

to that.”的另一种方式。

There are *so* many people coming next week!

下周有 *太*多人来了！

Do you think there’ll be enough chairs for everyone?

您觉得椅子会够每人一张吗？

Well, we still don’t have exact numbers, right?

好吧，我们仍然不知道 准确的数字，对吧？

So, your guess is as good as mine!

那么，您想得和我一样！

Let’s just get enough to fill the hall.

让我们有足够的椅子填满大厅。

What more can we do?

我们还能做什么？

Mmm…

呃…

I’m really worried about it.

我真的很担心。

Do you think people will enjoy the performance?

您认为人们会享受表演吗？

Who can say?

谁知道？

Everyone has their own tastes, right?

每个人有自己的品味，对吗？

I just hope it goes well.

我只是希望一切顺利。

We’ve put so much work into it.

我们投入太多工作在那上面了。

You heard ‘your guess is as good as mine’ and ‘who can say?’

您听到“your guess is as good as mine” 以及“who can say?”

These are different ways to say ‘no one knows exactly what will happen in the future.’

这些是讲“no oneknows exactly what will happen in the future.”的不同方式。

They’re common in conversational English.

他们是在对话式英语里常见的。

‘Your guess is as good as mine’ adds the idea that we’re both in the same position

“Your guess is as good as mine” 增加了我们双方都不知道

of not knowing.

的意思。

This means: I don’t know, and you don’t know.

这意思是： I don’t know, and you don’t know.

Hey, I heard Sonja’s planning to move to Spain next year.

嘿，我听到了Sonja明年要搬到 西班牙的打算。

Is it true?

那是真的吗？

Not as far as I know.

我不知道耶。

I’m sure she’d have told me if she was planning such a big move.

我确定如果她在计划这么一个大 迁移，她会告诉我。

Well, you two are quite close, right?

好，你们两个是十分近，对吗？

So I guess maybe I misunderstood.

那么我猜也许我误解了。

I saw her last weekend, and she didn’t say anything…

我上个周末看到她， 她什么也没说…

Why would she move?

为什么她要搬？

It doesn’t make sense.

那没理由。

In the dialogue, you heard the phrase ‘not as far as I know’.

在对话里，您听到短语 “not as far as I know.

What does this mean, exactly?

这意思是什么，准确地？

‘Not as far as I know’ is different from the phrases you’ve seen so far.

”Not as far as I know“是不同于您到 目前为止所看到的短语。

It means ‘I don’t think so, but I could be wrong’.

那意思是”I don’t think so, but I could be wrong“。

The opposite is ‘as far as I know’.

反义是”as far as I know“。

So, if you ask someone ‘Does the train leave from this platform?’ and the person replies

所以，如果您问某人“Does the train leave from this platform?”，而那个人回复说

‘As far as I know’, what are they telling you?

“As far as I know”，他们 在告诉您什么？

They’re saying that they think the train does leave from this platform, but they could

他们在说他们觉得火车离开 月台了，但是他们

be wrong.

可能错了。

Why does Danny keep agreeing to take on her work?

为什么Danny继续同意 承担她的工作？

She should do her own work!

她要做她自己的工作。

I don’t get it, either.

我也不明白。

She’s not even nice to him.

她甚至对他不是很好。

Maybe he’s just one of those people who just can’t say no?

也许他只是那些就是不能 说不的人中的一个。

And what about her?

那她呢？

It beats me how people can expect other people to do their work for them.

人们怎么能指望别人来为自己做自己 要做的工作，这让我感到困扰。

I know, right?

我知道，对吗？

But, the management don’t seem to care.

但是，管理层好像不在乎。

They should have a word with her.

他们应该说一下她。

Here’s a phrase you heard, but what’s the missing word?

这是您听到的一个短语， 但是少了什么单词？

The phrase was ‘I don’t get it’.

短语是“I don’t get it”.

This literally means ‘I don’t understand’, but here it also means ‘I don’t know why.’

这个字面上的意思是“I don’t understand”， 但是在这它也意思是“I don’t know why.”

‘It beats me’ is similar.

“It beats me”是类似的。

It’s a conversational phrase which means ‘I have no idea why that is’.

它是一个会话式的短语，意思是 “I have no idea why that is.”。

You can also shorten it to: ‘beats me!’

您也可以缩略它成：“beats me!”

Who left the dirty dishes in the sink?

谁把脏盘子放在水槽里？

How should I know?

我怎么会知道？

I’ve only just come home.

我刚回到家。

Well who’s gonna clean it up?

好吧，谁要去清理它？

Don’t ask me.

不要问我。

Not my problem.

不是我的问题。

That’s a nice attitude!

那是一个很好的态度！

Well, you can take care of it if you want.

好吧，如果您想您可以处理它们。

Sometimes, phrases that literally mean ‘I don’t know’ can have other uses.

有时，字面上意思是“I don’t know”的 短语可以有其他的用法。

For example, in the dialogue you heard the question ‘how should I know?’.

例如，在对话里，您听到问题 “how should I know?”。

Is this a question which needs an answer?

这是一个需要回答的问题吗？

Not really!

不是真的！

It’s more an expression of annoyance, or dismissal.

那更多是一个烦恼 或驳斥的表达。

It’s like saying ‘I don’t care’ or ‘it’s not my problem’.

那像是说：“I don’t care”或 “it’s not my problem”。

Sometimes, questions and responses are used more to express emotions than to exchange

有时，问题和回答用于 表达情绪要多过

information.

交换信息。

When using language like this, it’s important to control your intonation.

在使用像这样的说法时， 控制您的语调是重要的。

Even neutral language like ‘I don’t know’ can sound impolite if your intonation is unfriendly.

甚至是中性说法，如果您的语调是不友 善的，像“I don’t know”可以听起来不礼貌，

Now, let’s see if you can use the language you’ve seen in

现在，让我们看看您是否能 使用您在本节课里

this lesson.

看到的说法。

Hello, excuse me … do you know how much this costs?

您好，打扰 … 您知道这个值多少钱吗？

Could you respond?

您可以回答吗？

What did you say?

您说什么？

There are many possibilities.

有很多可能性。

You could just say one word – ‘dunno’ – though this might not sound polite!

您可以只说一个单词 – “dunno” – 尽管这可能听起来不礼貌！

Let’s see how this might go in a real-life situation.

我们来看看在现实生活环境中 这个可能怎样发展。

Hello, excuse me?

您好，打扰！

Do you know how much this costs?

您知道这个值多少钱吗？

I’m afraid I haven’t got a clue!

恐怕我什么都不知道！

Oh, I’m so sorry!

哦，我很抱歉！

I thought you worked here!

我以为您在这工作。

I think that lady just over there might be able to help you.

我认为那边的那位女士 也许能帮您。

Oh, great!

噢，很好！

Thank you.

谢谢您！

Another point: if you want to soften your answer, add something

另一个要点：如果您想让您的回答 更柔和，添加某些

like ‘I am sorry’ or ‘I’m afraid’.

像是“I am sorry”或“I’m afraid”。

Just saying ‘I have no idea’ is quite direct,

只说“I have no idea”是十分直接的，

which could sound rude in some situations.

在某些情形下听起来很粗鲁。

Saying ‘I’m sorry, but I have no idea’ or ‘I’m afraid I have no idea’ makes

说“I’m sorry, but I have no idea” 或“I’m afraid I have no idea”让

the phrase sound softer and more polite.

短语听起来较柔和并更有礼貌。

So, you’ve seen many different ways to say ‘I don’t know’.

那么，您看过了很多说”I don’t know“的不同方式。

Why not put your new skills to the test right now?

为什么现在不把您的新技巧用到测验中？

Pause the video and try to complete the phrases.

暂停视频并试着完成短语。

Could you do it?

您可以做吗？

Need more time?

需要更多时间？

You can take more time!

您可以用更多时间。

Try to get as many answers as you can.

尽您所能试着得到更多回答。

Let’s see the answers now.

我们现在看看答案。

How did you do?

您怎样做的？

Did you get them all?

您全部都做好了吗？

So, next time, instead of simply saying ‘I don’t know’ why not try ‘I have no idea’

那么，下次，取代简单地说“I don’t know”，为什么不试一下

or ‘your guess is as good as mine’ or ‘beats me!’.

“I have no idea”或“your guess is as good as mine”或“beats me!”。

Even for simple ideas in English, like saying ‘I don’t know’, there are many ways

即使是简单的英语意思，像是说 “I don’t know”，

to do it.

都有很多方式来表达。

You can express yourself more clearly by using a variety of language.

您能通过使用不同的说法来 自己表达得更清楚。

I hope you enjoyed today’s lesson.

我希望您享受今天的课程。

Thanks for watching!

感谢观看！

See you soon!

下次见！