you have no clue

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseinformal

   Used to tell someone forcefully that they do not know or understand something at all.

   Grammar: The subject can change: 'he has no clue', 'they had no clue'. It is followed by 'about' plus a noun, or by 'what/why/how' plus a clause.

   Patterns

   • you have no clue about something
   • you have no clue what/why/how ...
   • someone has no clue

   You have no clue how worried I was when you didn't call.

   He has no clue about computers, so don't ask him to fix it.

   They had no clue that the meeting had been moved to Monday.

2. 2phrasefixed phraseinformal

   Used to say that someone is completely unable to do or handle something.

   Grammar: Often followed by 'when it comes to' or 'about' to name the activity the person cannot manage.

   Patterns

   • someone has no clue when it comes to something
   • someone has no clue about doing something

   She has no clue when it comes to cooking; she burns everything.

   You have no clue about managing money, so let me help you.

Common combinations

have no clue about something

I have no clue about the rules of cricket.

have no clue what to do

We had no clue what to do after the car broke down.

not have a clue

He doesn't have a clue how much this costs.

have absolutely no clue

They have absolutely no clue that we're planning a party.

Synonyms and how they differ

have no idea

This is the more neutral and more common version; 'have no clue' sounds slightly stronger and more informal.

be clueless

This describes a person's general state of not knowing; 'have no clue' usually points to one specific thing.

Opposites

Word family

clueless adjective

Knowing nothing about something; informal.

clue noun

A piece of information that helps you solve a problem or mystery.

Commonly confused: you have no clue or have no clues?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “you have no clue”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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