I neither know

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I neither know" is an acceptable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when you want to express uncertainty or a lack of knowledge. For example: "I was asked which of the two restaurants I preferred, but I neither know since I haven't visited either one."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

I neither know nor care.

Independent

I neither know nor care.

The Guardian

Boots Avert Electronic Coldsore Machine, £35.99, boots.com I neither know, nor care, how it works.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He quotes Clausewitz on the challenge of faulty intelligence and Socrates saying, "I neither know nor think that I know".

The New York Times

That suggests the computer is loading a bunch of stuff I neither know about nor want.

TechCrunch

I neither know nor care — and that's about as damning as it gets for a hardware maker.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

But I neither knew nor cared.

The Guardian - Travel

During and after the ballet, however, I neither knew nor cared.

The New York Times - Arts

As to what that formula means, in practical terms, I neither knew nor ever wanted to know.

Independent

I hit the kitchen, following Jamie's instructions to "peel the cucumber in long ribbons over the first 'platter' of the evening" - disregarding the fact that I neither knew what a "speed-peeler" was (er, a peeler it seems) nor own a platter.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But they said two things that I neither knew (although, with hindsight, it was obvious — the best kind of insight) nor was likely to know.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I neither know" when you want to express a lack of knowledge or certainty about something, particularly when it follows a previous statement of uncertainty or lack of knowledge from someone else. For example, if someone says they don't know something, you can respond with, "I neither know."

Common error

Avoid using "I neither know" when you mean "I don't know either". "Neither" works best when correlating two negative statements, but is often misused as a single negative statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I neither know" functions as a declarative statement expressing a lack of knowledge or awareness. It's often used in response to a previous statement of uncertainty, correlating the speaker's ignorance with that of another, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I neither know" is a grammatically correct expression used to convey a lack of knowledge, often in correlation with a prior statement of ignorance. As Ludwig AI confirms, while acceptable, it might sound somewhat formal in contemporary English. It's most frequently found in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you're correlating your lack of knowledge with a previous negative statement to avoid misapplication. If you want other options, consider alternatives such as "I don't know either" or "I have no idea either".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I do not know either

Emphasizes the lack of knowledge in a more direct, less formal way.

I don't know either

A contracted and even less formal version of expressing a lack of knowledge.

I have no idea either

Highlights the absence of any understanding or information.

I am not aware either

Focuses on a lack of awareness rather than direct knowledge.

I am also unaware

Similar to 'I am not aware either', but with a slightly different emphasis.

I haven't a clue either

An idiomatic way of saying one has no idea.

I'm in the dark as well

Uses a metaphor to convey a lack of information.

I know nothing about it either

Directly states a complete lack of knowledge about a specific topic.

That is unknown to me too

A more formal way of saying one does not know something.

This escapes my knowledge too

Expresses that something is beyond one's understanding or awareness.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "I neither know"?

You can use alternatives like "I do not know either", "I don't know either", or "I have no idea either" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "I neither know"?

Yes, "I neither know" is grammatically correct, though it may sound somewhat formal or archaic to modern ears. It is generally used when correlating with a previous negative statement.

What's the difference between "I don't know" and "I neither know"?

"I don't know" is a simple statement of lacking knowledge. "I neither know" is used to correlate with a previous statement of lacking knowledge from someone else. It implies, "Since you don't know, I also don't know."

When is it appropriate to use "I neither know"?

Use "I neither know" when you want to express that you also lack the knowledge that someone else has just admitted to lacking. For example: "He doesn't know the answer, and "I neither know"."