Bedeutung
Stating a lack of information or knowledge.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Saying 'Aš nežinau' is seen as a sign of honesty. Lithuanians value directness over 'saving face' by making up an answer. The abbreviation 'nžn' is extremely common in texting and social media, similar to 'idk' in English. In schools, students are encouraged to admit when they don't know something so the teacher can explain it, rather than guessing. In the Samogitian dialect, you might hear 'nežėnau,' which has a slightly different vowel sound but the same meaning.
Drop the 'Aš'
In casual conversation, just say 'Nežinau'. It sounds more natural and native.
Prefix Rule
Never write 'ne žinau' as two words. It's always one word in Lithuanian.
Bedeutung
Stating a lack of information or knowledge.
Drop the 'Aš'
In casual conversation, just say 'Nežinau'. It sounds more natural and native.
Prefix Rule
Never write 'ne žinau' as two words. It's always one word in Lithuanian.
Genitive of Negation
Remember that if you don't know 'something' (a noun), that noun usually takes the genitive case ending.
Be Honest
Don't be afraid to use this phrase. It's better to be honest than to guess incorrectly in Lithuania.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to say 'I don't know.'
Aš _______.
'Nežinau' is the negative form of 'žinau' (I know).
Which sentence is correct for 'I don't know the way'?
Choose the correct one:
Negation requires the genitive case ('kelio'), and 'ne' must be attached to the verb.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Ar žinai, kur yra Jonas? B: Ne, _______.
The speaker is stating they don't have the information about Jonas's location.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are asked a question in a language you don't speak well.
If you don't understand the language, 'nesuprantu' is more appropriate than 'nežinau'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Žinoti vs Pažinti
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenAš _______.
'Nežinau' is the negative form of 'žinau' (I know).
Choose the correct one:
Negation requires the genitive case ('kelio'), and 'ne' must be attached to the verb.
A: Ar žinai, kur yra Jonas? B: Ne, _______.
The speaker is stating they don't have the information about Jonas's location.
You are asked a question in a language you don't speak well.
If you don't understand the language, 'nesuprantu' is more appropriate than 'nežinau'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, it is very common and perfectly natural to drop the 'Aš'.
No, it is a neutral and honest way to say you don't have information.
'Žinoti' is for facts/info. 'Pažinti' is for people, places, or things you are familiar with.
Add the word 'dar' (yet): 'Aš dar nežinau'.
In Lithuanian, the negative particle 'ne' is always a prefix for verbs.
It's the common text abbreviation for 'nežinau'.
No, you should use 'nesuprantu' for that.
Add 'tikrai' (really): 'Aš tikrai nežinau'.
Yes, the direct object usually changes to the genitive case.
You can say 'Aš neturiu tokios informacijos' (I don't have such information).
Verwandte Redewendungen
Neturiu supratimo
similarI have no idea/clue
Kas žino
similarWho knows
Aš nesuprantu
contrastI don't understand
Sužinoti
builds onTo find out
Nežinia
specialized formUncertainty / The unknown
