не знам / не разумем

Saying You Do Not Know

Level 1Sounds Like ne znam; ne razumem

Use не знам to say you lack information or an answer ("I don't know"). Use не разумем when you do not comprehend the words or meaning ("I don't understand"). Both are written as two separate words.

How It Works

Expressing ignorance or incomprehension is essential for beginner conversations, but it is important to distinguish the two phrases properly:

1. Difference in Meaning:
• Не знам means you lack factual information or certainty. If someone asks for directions or the time and you cannot answer, say Не знам.
• Не разумем indicates a linguistic or semantic breakdown. If someone speaks too quickly, uses unfamiliar Serbian vocabulary, or speaks a foreign language, say Не разумем.
Responding with Не знам when you simply did not understand the question can sound like you understood the words but are refusing or unable to give the information.

2. Talking About Languages:
Beginner learners frequently use both verbs with languages, but they express different ideas:
• Не знам српски = "I don't speak / know Serbian" (referring to overall language proficiency).
• Не разумем српски = "I don't understand Serbian" (referring specifically to comprehension).

3. Spelling Rule (Strict Separation):
In standard Serbian orthography, the negative particle не is written strictly as a separate word before verbs: не знам, не разумем (and also with infinitives like не знати). Writing незнам is one of the most common spelling errors.
Standard orthography writes negation fused as a single word in the paradigms of only four specific verbs:
• нисам, ниси, није... (negative present forms of бити)
• немам, немаш, нема... (negative present forms of имати)
• нећу, нећеш, неће... (negative present forms of хтети)
• немој / немојте (defective imperative auxiliary)
(Note that verbs where не- is part of the verb root or a derivational prefix, such as нестати or недостајати, are also written as one word, but in regular verbal negation, не is always separated).

4. Strict Adjacency and Word Order:
No word can come between the negative particle не and its verb. Manner adverbs naturally follow the verb: say Не разумем добро or Не разумем баш најбоље, never *Ја не добро разумем.

5. Polite Softening:
In polite or formal interactions, native speakers routinely pair these expressions with courtesy phrases such as извините (excuse me) or нажалост (unfortunately).

Examples (4)

  1. Извините, не разумем. Можете ли да поновите?

    Excuse me, I don't understand. Could you repeat that?

    Word by Word: Excuse [me], not I-understand. Can [you] whether that you-repeat?

    Signals a linguistic breakdown; polite request for repetition.

  2. Нажалост, не знам где се налази та зграда.

    Unfortunately, I don't know where that building is located.

    Word by Word: Unfortunately, not I-know where itself finds that building.

    Expresses a lack of factual knowledge (location).

  3. Не знам шта значи ова реч; не разумем вас добро.

    I don't know what this word means; I don't understand you well.

    Word by Word: Not I-know what means this word; not I-understand you well.

    Demonstrates both verbs in context: lacking lexical knowledge ('не знам') and not comprehending the speaker ('не разумем').

  4. Ја не знам одговор на то питање.

    I do not know the answer to that question.

    Word by Word: I not I-know answer to that question.

    Shows the standard placement of 'не' directly before the present tense of 'знати'.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing 'не' attached to the verb as a single word.

    Извините, незнам одговор.
    Извините, не знам одговор.

    The negative particle 'не' is written separately before most verbs: 'не знам'. It joins the verb only in 'нисам', 'немам', 'нећу' (and their other persons) and in 'немој'.

  • Using 'не знам' when you didn't understand the Serbian words.

    – Шта желите? – Не знам, говорите енглески?
    – Шта желите? – Не разумем, говорите ли енглески?

    'Не знам' means you understood the question but don't know what you want. To signal that you didn't understand what was said, use 'не разумем'.

  • Inserting an adverb between 'не' and the verb.

    Ја не добро разумем српски.
    Ја не разумем добро српски.

    A bare adverb like 'добро' right after 'не' sounds unnatural. The usual order puts it after the verb: 'не разумем добро'. (Longer phrases such as 'не баш добро разумем' are fine.)

How It Connects

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не знам / не разумемLevel 1Saying You Do Not Know

Learn This First

To say 'не знам' and 'не разумем', learners must understand standard verb negation with the separate particle 'не' alongside the present tense forms of 'знати' (regular present) and 'разумети'.

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Words in This Pattern

незнатиразумети