1. I don’t know… and I’m not sure…

我不知道

These are obvious, but I mention them first because they are the ones most people say. Sometimes it is best to remember that simplest way is the best way to communicate an idea.

这两个表达非常常用，我最先提到它们是因为这是大多数人说的。有时候，最简单的表达往往是最高效有力的表达。

Example

Where is the nearest bathroom?

最近的厕所怎么走？

(Sorry)I don’t know.

(Sorry)I‘m not sure.

2. I’d have to look into that

我得查一下

This is a kind of an odd sounding way to express uncertainty, but it is a good one. It’s not literal, of course, as no one needs to look into something to figure something out usually. Here “looking into something” means something more like “needing to find information” or, as is more common today, the need to “look it up on the internet.”

这个表达看起来有点奇怪，其实很地道。不要按照字面意思去理解这个表达，因为我们通常不需要系统地做调查才去搞懂一些事情。这里的Here “looking into something”指的是“需要找到更多的信息”，放在今天的语境下，指的是“需要在互联网上确认一下”。

Example

Who scores the most points per game in the NBA?

NBA球星里面，谁平均每场得分最高？

Sorry, I’d have to look into that. I don’t know off the top of my head.

不好意思，我得查一下。具体的没记住。

3. I’d have to think about that for a minute.

让我想想

This phrase seems to imply that after thinking about something for a minute that you might know the answer to the question at hand, but that is not necessarily the case. Instead, it tends to mean that you “don’t know,” or that perhaps you really do need some time to think about an answer.

看起来，这个表达意思是你思考一分钟之后，就会有答案了，但其实不是这样的。它通常指的是你不知道答案，或者你确实需要一些时间来思考得出一个答案。

Example

What’s the capitol of Australia?

澳大利亚的首都是哪个城市？

Hmm,I’d have to think about that for a minute.

嗯嗯，让我好好想想……

4. Who knows?

谁知道呢？

It’s kind of funny, but you can answer a question in the affirmative by asking a question. This question is different from typical interrogative kinds of questions because it is a rhetorical question. Instead of really posing the question, “Who knows?” the feeling is more like “nobody knows.”

这个表达有点滑稽，但你确实可以通过疑问的语气来表示肯定。这个疑问句和一般的疑问句不同的地方在于它是一个很口语化的表达。它不是真地在问“谁知道呢？”，而是想表达“没人知道”。

Example

How much longer will it take before the car is fixed?

这辆车修好还得花多长时间？

Who knows?

谁知道呢？

5. Sorry, nothing comes to mind.

不好意思，我想不起来了

This is a pretty simple response and often it’s best used when someone asks you if you recall something.

这个表达特别简练。它经常用在“当某人让你试着回忆什么，而你又想不起来的语境” 。

Example

Do you remember whether or not Brandon said that he would come to visit this weekend?

Brandon有说过他这个周末要过来吗？

Sorry, nothing comes to mind.

没印象了。

Conclusion

There you go. Those are few different ways to express uncertainty. Keep it simple and try to use one of these phrases the next time you don’t know something. Thanks for joining me this week!

下次想表示“不确定”的时候，尝试用用上面这些地道又简单的表达。

Until next time…

以上。

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