“I know not to…” vs “I don't know how to…” ?












3















"Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken. So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").






traduction







share|improve this question

























  • I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

    – Pierre Arlaud
    2 hours ago











  • Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

    – temporary_user_name
    7 mins ago
















3















"Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken. So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").






traduction







share|improve this question

























  • I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

    – Pierre Arlaud
    2 hours ago











  • Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

    – temporary_user_name
    7 mins ago














3












3








3


1






"Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken. So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").






traduction







share|improve this question
















"Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken. So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").






traduction




traduction






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 7 mins ago









Community♦

1




1










asked 10 hours ago









temporary_user_nametemporary_user_name

8,4301255165




8,4301255165













  • I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

    – Pierre Arlaud
    2 hours ago











  • Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

    – temporary_user_name
    7 mins ago



















  • I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

    – Pierre Arlaud
    2 hours ago











  • Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

    – temporary_user_name
    7 mins ago

















I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

– Pierre Arlaud
2 hours ago





I find it worth mentioning that "I know not to swim" is "je sais ne pas nager". It's probably not what you mean, but it's different than "je ne sais pas nager". There is no ambiguity at play here.

– Pierre Arlaud
2 hours ago













Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

– temporary_user_name
7 mins ago





Why do you say "It's probably not what you mean"?

– temporary_user_name
7 mins ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















8














There could be different ways to express that, depending on the context:




Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager



Je sais que je ne peux pas nager







share|improve this answer
























  • Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

    – Stéphane Gimenez♦
    8 hours ago





















3














Your statement, "I know not to swim" is perhaps hard to translate because it is not entirely clear, in English, just what it means, which I think you have implicitly acknowledged by explaining the sort of context where it might be said. I think the slightly different statements "I know I should not swim" or "I know I can't swim" would not require this sort of explanation, and would thus be easier to translate. And their translations, respectively, would then be:
"Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne devrais pas nager", or "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager") for the first, and
"Je sais que je ne peux pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne sais pas nager" or "Je sais que je ne suis pas capable de nager") for the second.



Notice that one of these, "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager", retains the ambiguity of your "I know not to swim" - in both the French and the English here, it is not clear whether you will refrain from swimming because it is not allowed or because you are not capable.






share|improve this answer








New contributor




wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.




























    1















    "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken.




    Right.




    So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").




    I would use future simple for this:
    Je ne nagerai pas (I will not swim)
    Je ne boirai pas (I will not drink)



    Or similar to Greg's answer, one could also say
    Je sais que je ne dois/devrais pas nager (I know that I must/should not swim)






    share|improve this answer























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      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes








      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      8














      There could be different ways to express that, depending on the context:




      Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager



      Je sais que je ne peux pas nager







      share|improve this answer
























      • Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

        – Stéphane Gimenez♦
        8 hours ago


















      8














      There could be different ways to express that, depending on the context:




      Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager



      Je sais que je ne peux pas nager







      share|improve this answer
























      • Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

        – Stéphane Gimenez♦
        8 hours ago
















      8












      8








      8







      There could be different ways to express that, depending on the context:




      Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager



      Je sais que je ne peux pas nager







      share|improve this answer













      There could be different ways to express that, depending on the context:




      Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager



      Je sais que je ne peux pas nager








      share|improve this answer












      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer










      answered 9 hours ago









      GregGreg

      6,589922




      6,589922













      • Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

        – Stéphane Gimenez♦
        8 hours ago





















      • Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

        – Stéphane Gimenez♦
        8 hours ago



















      Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

      – Stéphane Gimenez♦
      8 hours ago







      Or quite simply “Je ne vais pas nager”.

      – Stéphane Gimenez♦
      8 hours ago













      3














      Your statement, "I know not to swim" is perhaps hard to translate because it is not entirely clear, in English, just what it means, which I think you have implicitly acknowledged by explaining the sort of context where it might be said. I think the slightly different statements "I know I should not swim" or "I know I can't swim" would not require this sort of explanation, and would thus be easier to translate. And their translations, respectively, would then be:
      "Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne devrais pas nager", or "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager") for the first, and
      "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne sais pas nager" or "Je sais que je ne suis pas capable de nager") for the second.



      Notice that one of these, "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager", retains the ambiguity of your "I know not to swim" - in both the French and the English here, it is not clear whether you will refrain from swimming because it is not allowed or because you are not capable.






      share|improve this answer








      New contributor




      wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.

























        3














        Your statement, "I know not to swim" is perhaps hard to translate because it is not entirely clear, in English, just what it means, which I think you have implicitly acknowledged by explaining the sort of context where it might be said. I think the slightly different statements "I know I should not swim" or "I know I can't swim" would not require this sort of explanation, and would thus be easier to translate. And their translations, respectively, would then be:
        "Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne devrais pas nager", or "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager") for the first, and
        "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne sais pas nager" or "Je sais que je ne suis pas capable de nager") for the second.



        Notice that one of these, "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager", retains the ambiguity of your "I know not to swim" - in both the French and the English here, it is not clear whether you will refrain from swimming because it is not allowed or because you are not capable.






        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.























          3












          3








          3







          Your statement, "I know not to swim" is perhaps hard to translate because it is not entirely clear, in English, just what it means, which I think you have implicitly acknowledged by explaining the sort of context where it might be said. I think the slightly different statements "I know I should not swim" or "I know I can't swim" would not require this sort of explanation, and would thus be easier to translate. And their translations, respectively, would then be:
          "Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne devrais pas nager", or "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager") for the first, and
          "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne sais pas nager" or "Je sais que je ne suis pas capable de nager") for the second.



          Notice that one of these, "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager", retains the ambiguity of your "I know not to swim" - in both the French and the English here, it is not clear whether you will refrain from swimming because it is not allowed or because you are not capable.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.










          Your statement, "I know not to swim" is perhaps hard to translate because it is not entirely clear, in English, just what it means, which I think you have implicitly acknowledged by explaining the sort of context where it might be said. I think the slightly different statements "I know I should not swim" or "I know I can't swim" would not require this sort of explanation, and would thus be easier to translate. And their translations, respectively, would then be:
          "Je sais qu'il ne faut pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne devrais pas nager", or "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager") for the first, and
          "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager" (or "Je sais que je ne sais pas nager" or "Je sais que je ne suis pas capable de nager") for the second.



          Notice that one of these, "Je sais que je ne peux pas nager", retains the ambiguity of your "I know not to swim" - in both the French and the English here, it is not clear whether you will refrain from swimming because it is not allowed or because you are not capable.







          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.









          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer






          New contributor




          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.









          answered 2 hours ago









          wilber deckwilber deck

          311




          311




          New contributor




          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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          New contributor





          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






          wilber deck is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.























              1















              "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken.




              Right.




              So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").




              I would use future simple for this:
              Je ne nagerai pas (I will not swim)
              Je ne boirai pas (I will not drink)



              Or similar to Greg's answer, one could also say
              Je sais que je ne dois/devrais pas nager (I know that I must/should not swim)






              share|improve this answer




























                1















                "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken.




                Right.




                So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").




                I would use future simple for this:
                Je ne nagerai pas (I will not swim)
                Je ne boirai pas (I will not drink)



                Or similar to Greg's answer, one could also say
                Je sais que je ne dois/devrais pas nager (I know that I must/should not swim)






                share|improve this answer


























                  1












                  1








                  1








                  "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken.




                  Right.




                  So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").




                  I would use future simple for this:
                  Je ne nagerai pas (I will not swim)
                  Je ne boirai pas (I will not drink)



                  Or similar to Greg's answer, one could also say
                  Je sais que je ne dois/devrais pas nager (I know that I must/should not swim)






                  share|improve this answer














                  "Je ne sais pas nager" means "I don't know how to swim," if I'm not mistaken.




                  Right.




                  So how do you say "I know not to swim"? (As when reassuring someone that you are not going to do something, e.g. to a parent "Yes Mom I know not to talk to strangers").




                  I would use future simple for this:
                  Je ne nagerai pas (I will not swim)
                  Je ne boirai pas (I will not drink)



                  Or similar to Greg's answer, one could also say
                  Je sais que je ne dois/devrais pas nager (I know that I must/should not swim)







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 2 hours ago









                  Thibault D.Thibault D.

                  1312




                  1312






























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