How to Say "don't know" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “don't know” is “sepa” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Espero que mi jefe no sepa que llegué tarde.
I hope my boss doesn't know that I arrived late.
Quiero que sepa la verdad antes de irse.
I want him/her/you (formal) to know the truth before leaving.
Tal vez sepa la respuesta, pero no está seguro.
Maybe he knows the answer, but he isn't sure. (Subjunctive used after 'tal vez' expressing doubt)
When to Use 'sepa'
'Sepa' is the special form (subjunctive) of 'saber' that you must use after words that express doubt, desire, emotion, or when giving a formal negative command.
Irregularity Tip
Most of the special forms (subjunctive) for 'saber' start with 'sep-' (sepa, sepas, sepamos), making them easy to spot once you learn the pattern.
Using the Normal Form Incorrectly
Mistake: “Dudo que él sabe la respuesta.”
Correction: Dudo que él sepa la respuesta. (The word 'dudo' (I doubt) forces the special verb form 'sepa' in the second part of the sentence.)
Related Translations
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