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I have no idea vs I had no idea

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'I have no idea' is used in the present tense to express a lack of knowledge or understanding at the current moment. 'I had no idea' is used in the past tense to indicate that there was no knowledge or understanding at a specific point in the past.

Last updated: April 10, 2024 • 261 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express a lack of knowledge or understanding at the current moment.

"I have no idea"

This phrase is used in the present tense to indicate that the speaker currently has no knowledge or understanding of something.

Examples:

  • I have no idea how to fix this problem.
  • She has no idea where her keys are.
  • Do you have any idea what time it is?
  • We have no idea what the answer could be.
  • They have no idea what's going on.
  • May 13, 2018 ... I have no idea what to do in this game and it's the beginning, any advice? I bought this game last last night, been playing it for a bit ...
  • Jul 5, 2024 ... I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things ...
  • Sep 17, 2022 ... I see a lot of beginner guides with tips about the shooting, running, best guns an so. I'm about 4 hours in and I feel like I have no idea ...
  • Jun 10, 2016 ... ... I have no idea what I am doing with my life. How do I overcome this? ·. You are not alone, lot of people are jiggling with this issue but ...
  • Oct 23, 2023 ... 11 votes, 10 comments. I'm quite new but I'm practically useless to the team I have no idea what I'm doing how do I get better.
  • Jun 2, 2021 ... I have no idea what my account's password is and Google won't let me recover it. Hello,. My old phone became unusable after liquid damage ...
  • Mar 7, 2021 ... I have no idea what to do. (New player). Help. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Is there a story? Are there missions? Where do I go ...
  • Jan 3, 2014 ... Hi everyone! Is it the same if I say "I have got no idea what I'm doing here!" or "I have no idea what I'm doing here" ?
  • I Have No Idea Bar & Grill, Antler: See 4 unbiased reviews of I Have No Idea Bar & Grill, rated 3.5 of 5 on Tripadvisor.
  • Aug 24, 2023 ... They are both correct and they do not mean the same thing. "I have no idea" means "I do not know the answer to your particular question.

Alternatives:

  • I don't know
  • I'm clueless
  • I'm not sure
  • I'm unaware
  • I'm uncertain

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a lack of knowledge or understanding at a specific point in the past.

"I had no idea"

This phrase is used in the past tense to express that the speaker had no knowledge or understanding of something at a particular time in the past.

Examples:

  • I had no idea you were coming.
  • She had no idea what had happened.
  • He had no idea where he was.
  • We had no idea it would be so difficult.
  • They had no idea what to do next.
  • Aug 19, 2018 ... you could respond, 'I had no idea'. 'I had' is in the past tense, so you are saying in effect, 'I did not know that before now'.
  • "I had no idea what a complicated business eating is…": a qualitative study of the impact of dysphagia during stroke recovery ... Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Jun;40(13): ...
  • Apr 4, 2022 ... I had no idea I was pregnant until I went for a bikini wax. By. Claire Haiek, The Sun. Thanks for contacting us.
  • Apr 18, 2022 ... Ask Amy: I had no idea my husband wanted a divorce. What do I do now? I returned from a family visit, and I found out he was leaving after ...
  • May 29, 2019 ... Let me get this clear (Uh-huh), 'cause I had no idea (Yeah, yeah, yeah). [Post-Chorus] Feelin' like I did too much (Much)
  • Oct 20, 2021 ... "It was overwhelming and I was just so grateful because I had no idea that, you know, anyone had had been doing that," Sherry Smith told CNN ...
  • Sep 17, 2021 ... 'I had no idea that greenwashing was even a thing': identifying the cognitive mechanisms of exemplars in greenwashing literacy interventions.
  • Nov 1, 2021 ... 'I had no idea how hard it was going to be. I was so naïve.' ... YARMOUTH, Maine — On the first day of 2021, Sammy Potter set out with Jackson ...

Alternatives:

  • I didn't know
  • I was unaware
  • I was clueless
  • I was uninformed
  • I was ignorant

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