# không biết meaning in Vietnamese: don't know (A1)

> không biết means “don't know, I don't know” in Vietnamese. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/khong-biet/ · Updated 2026-10-18

**không biết**: don't know

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: khong biet

## 1. don't know (verb)

don't know, I don't know

At the start of a question it softens it, like "I wonder": *Không biết chị có rảnh không?*

- Xin lỗi, em không biết đường. — Sorry, I don't know the way.
- Saigon: Em không biết nói sao. | Hà Nội: Em không biết nói thế nào. — I don't know what to say.

Previous: [không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/khong-no/)
Next: [không có chi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/khong-co-chi/)

---

Add to Vietnamese Buddy: https://app.vietnamesebuddy.com/waitlist?source=word%3Aw_khong_biet
In the app, any word you meet while reading can go into your lexicon with its audio, ready to study with flashcards and spaced repetition.
