How To Say I Do Not Speak French In French

Download Article

So y'all want to say "I don't know" in French, merely you don't know how to say that y'all don't know how to say "I don't know." Never fear. Say "Je ne sais pas" (juh-nuh-say-pah) for a simple "I don't know," or acquire more than complex phrases to communicate more securely.

ane
Say "Je ne sais pas. " This translates direct to "I don't know [a specific thing]". Pronounce it as "juh-nuh-say-pah" or "shu-nu-say-pah". To pronounce the "je" like "shu", shape your mouth like you lot are kickoff to "shush" someone, but behave on the "sh" sound by post-obit with a sound almost halfway between "uh" and "ooo". This should audio something similar "eu". The "ne" is similar: just supersede the "sh" with a "n" sound.
- Note: in mod spoken French, the "je" and "ne" ("I" and "don't") frequently glide together, and then you may sound more authentic if you slur your syllables—as in, "jeun-say-pah," or even "shay-pah".^[1]
- If you want to exist especially polite, say, "I don't know, sorry." In French, that'south "Je ne sais pas, deslolée." Pronounce "desolée" as "dez-oh-lay".
- Bear in listen that the negating "ne" is always used in written French, just is often dropped in informal spoken French. One might say to a friend, for instance, "Je sais pas," and mean something like "I dunno."^[2]
2
Empathise the part of each word in the phrase "je ne sais pas." "Je," ne," "sais," and "pas":
- "Je" is the kickoff person subject, or "I".
- "Sais" is the beginning person conjugation of "savoir", a verb which translates as "to know something". Ever put the "ne" earlier the exact tense and the "pas" after information technology.
- "Pas" loosely translates equally "not".
- "Ne" doesn't actually mean anything, and is more a formality of grammar that accompanies "pas". This is why a person speaking informally can omit the "ne" and simply say "Je sais pas."
Advertisement
iii
Use "Je ne sais pas" in a sentence. Add the specific thing that y'all don't know to the end of the phrase—this can exist a piece of data, or it can be a sure thing with which you are non familiar. Review the post-obit examples:
- "Je ne sais pas parler français" means "I don't know how to speak French."
- "Je ne sais pas la réponse" means "I don't know the respond."
- "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim."
- "Je ne sais quoi faire" means "I don't know what to do." The "pas" is unnecessary in this example because the verb savoir is being used with a question word.

Advertizement

1

Say "Je ne comprends pas. " This ways "I don't sympathise." Pronounce information technology "juh-nuh com-prond pah". This is a good phrase to use if you lot are trying to concur a conversation with someone in French, only y'all only don't know how to translate something that they only said. If you say information technology politely, odds are your conversation partner will be agreement.
two
Say "Je ne parle pas (le) français. " This translates to "I don't speak French."^[3] Pronounce it "juh-nuh pahl-pah frahn-say". This is a proficient way to politely inform people that you aren't equipped to hold a conversation in French. If y'all want to effort to starting time a conversation with someone, still, you might just say "Je ne parle qu'un peu le français,"—"I merely speak a little French." Pronounce it "juh-nuh pahl koon pay-oo le frahn-say".
- If someone stops y'all on the Paris metro and starts speaking aggressively to you in frenzied French, yous might be able to turn them abroad by looking dislocated and saying "Je ne parle pas français."
- If y'all're trying to print your young man'due south French grandparents, smile and sheepishly say "Je suis desolée—je ne parle qu'united nations peu le français."
3

Say "Parlez-vous anglais? " This direct translates to "Do you lot speak English?" Pronounce it "Par-lay-voo ahn-glay?"^[4] If you are learning French and you are nonetheless a beginner, you lot may come to a point at which communicated efficiently is a matter of rubber or smashing convenience. Depending on where you are, you may or may non find someone who speaks fluent English—but this is still an important phrase to have in your arsenal.
4
Say "Je ne connais pas cette personne/place." This means "I don't know this/that person/place." Pronounce information technology "Juh-nuh-conn-eye pah." "Personne (pronounced "pair-sohn) ways "person". "Place" (pronounced "plahss") means, quite literally, "identify".^[5]
- Add a specific person or place name to the finish of the phrase to make it more than specific. For case: "Je ne connais pas Guillaume," or "Je ne connais pas Avignon."
five

Say "Je ne sais quoi." This is an expression that means "I don't know what." Je ne sais quoi is an indefinable, elusive quality, usually positive and ofttimes descriptive of someone's personality. The phrase is oftentimes colloquially interjected into English language speech communication. For instance: "The actress had a certain je ne sais quoi that immediately charmed anybody she met." Pronounce it "juh-nuh-say-kwa," and imitate a French accent if possible.^[vi]

Advertizement

Add New Question

Question

How exercise I ask my friend in French why she doesn't want to talk to me?

You can enquire, "Pourquoi est-ce que tu ne veux pas parler avec moi?"
Question

How do I empathise French slang?

Read to larn. Also, sentinel movies as many French movies use French slang regularly.
Question

How do I say "I didn't understand what you meant about the colors"?

CredlyCrab

Community Reply

Information technology would exist "Je n'ai pas compris ce que tu voulais dire à propos des couleurs."