you know

English

Etymology

First attested as a filled pause in the early 18th century, as a euphemism in the mid-19th century.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /juː nəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ju noʊ/

  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic)

    (file)

Interjection

you know

1. (informal) Expression signifying a pause or hesitation.
   • 2002 December 15, “Interview with David Beckham”, in Breakfast with Frost‎^[1], spoken by David Beckham, via BBC:

     I don’t usually get nervous in games and, you know, taking free kicks and penalties but that’s the first time I’ve been that nervous in, in a game, where I have to, I’m in a situation where I’m, you know […]

   • 2013, Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight (motion picture), spoken by Jesse (Ethan Hawke):

     Once, I remember, I was watching the twins on a trampoline, you know, and they looked so beautiful, and I was happy because they were happy, you know.

2. (informal) Expression used to imply meaning, rather than say it, such as when a person is embarrassed.

   A: I heard you want to... do something with me.
   B: Do what?
   A: You know... umm...
   B: Sex?
   A: Yeah.

3. (informal) Used as a rhetorical question to confirm agreement, knowing or understanding at the end of a statement.

   But I guess that's life, you know?

   I just wasn't into it, you know?

   • 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198:

     This was already a fresh departure for me. I was not used to get things that way, you know.

   • 2024 January 29 [2024 January 26], Tim Lee, Ray Chung, quoting Brendan Kavanagh, “London YouTuber hid in van, received death threats after piano face-off”, in Luisetta Mudie, transl., Radio Free Asia‎^[2], archived from the original on 29 January 2024:

     "I heard Winnie the Pooh was like garlic to a vampire to the Chinese commies," he said. "Popular arts and music, poetry, dancing and singing is a threat to those in power, and I'm really trying to bring back that rock-and-roll rebellious spirit into music, you know."

4. (informal) Used to introduce information.

   You know, he's actually pretty nice.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Engineering, SSV Normandy:

     Tali: You know, there's always a few who go on their Pilgrimages and never return. I always assumed something bad happened to them, but maybe they just wanted a different life.

   • 2016, Voice of America, Learning English‎^[3] (public domain), archived from the original on 2017-09-25:

     Audio (US)

     (file)

     You know, Pete, I am new to D.C. The city is big. — Yeah. But you learn a little more every day.

5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see you,‎ know.

Alternative forms

• y'know, yunno (slang, pronunciation spelling)

Synonyms

• (generic fillers): right, like; er, erm, um
• (confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement): you see, do you know what I'm saying, you know what I'm saying, right, eh, don't you know

Related terms

• if you know, you know
• if you know what I mean
• what do you know
• wouldn't you know it
• you know it
• you-know-what
• you know what
• you know what I mean
• you-know-who
• you never know

 

Translations

expression signifying a pause or hesitation

• Arabic: يَعْنِي (yaʕnī)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 那个 (zh) (nèige), 那個／那个 (zh) (nèige)

• Danish: du ved
• Dutch: weet je, weet je wel
• Esperanto: nu (eo)
• Finnish: tiedäthän, näes (fi)
• French: tu vois (fr), tu sais
• Georgian: შენც იცი (šenc ici), ხომ იცი, რაც (xom ici, rac)
• German: weißt du
• Irish: bhuel
• Italian: così (it), capisci, cioè (it), tipo (it), sai (it)
• Japanese: あの (ja) (ano), その (ja) (sono), 分かる (ja) (わかる, wakaru)
• Polish: wiesz, widzisz, rozumiesz, wie pan, rozumie pan, widzi pan, no (pl), nie (pl), cóż (pl)
• Portuguese: você sabe, sabe (pt)
• Russian: э́то (ru) (éto), ка́к его (kák jevo)
• Spanish: pues (es), bueno (es), entonces (es), sabes (es)
• Swedish: du vet
• Turkish: yani (tr)
• Vietnamese: ờ (vi), ừm, địt mẹ (vi) (vulgar), đủ má (vulgar)
• Welsh: (North) wyddost ti, (South) wyt ti'n gwybod, sti, t’mod, ch’mod, ‘sti

Further reading

• “you know”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “you know” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.