我不知道 I Don't Know in Chinese

下午xiàwǔ，一个yí gè学生xuésheng在zài学校xuéxiào门口ménkǒu问wèn我wǒ路lù。

In the afternoon, a student asked me for directions at the school gate.

他tā说shuō：“请问qǐngwèn，图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr？”

He said, "Excuse me, where is the library?"

我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr，我wǒ也yě是shì新xīn同学tóngxué。

I don't know where the library is — I'm also a new student.

我wǒ告诉gàosu他tā：“你nǐ可以kěyǐ问wèn李老师Lǐ lǎoshī，她tā知道zhīdào。”

I told him, "You can ask Teacher Li — she knows."

那个nàge学生xuésheng说shuō：“谢谢xièxie你nǐ，我wǒ去qù问wèn她tā。”

The student said, "Thank you — I'll go ask her."

后来hòulái他tā找到zhǎodào了le李老师Lǐ lǎoshī，李老师Lǐ lǎoshī告诉gàosu他tā图书馆túshūguǎn在zài哪儿nǎr。

Afterward, he found Teacher Li, and she told him where the library was.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

知道zhīdàoto know

问wènto ask

路lùroad; way

告诉gàosuto tell

找到zhǎodàoto find

新xīnnew

不知道 + 疑问句

不知道 is followed directly by a question phrase like 在哪儿 or 是谁 — no 吗 needed.

我不知道图书馆在哪儿。 — I don't know where the library is.

你可以 + V

可以 here softly suggests an action — like saying 'you could' rather than asking permission.

你可以问李老师。 — You could ask Teacher Li.

也 + 是/V

也 goes right before 是 or a verb to mean 'also' or 'too'.

我也是新同学。 — I'm also a new student.

1. Who asks for directions at the school gate?

2. Why can't the narrator help?

3. Who finally tells the student where the library is?