I don't have any idea VS I have no idea

Question

Hola, gracias por sus respuestas.

I don't have any idea VS I have no idea

What's the difference between these sentences? When I have to use "no" instead of "not"?

No tengo contexto, simplemente aparecen así para traducir al español en un sitio que enseña inglés.

Did you mean for the title and body not to match? You left out "any" in the body, but use it correctly in the title. - rogspax, Sep 12, 2013

Gracias rogspax, arreglé el error. :/ - maestroantonio, Sep 13, 2013

Answer 1

Actually neither of those sentences are correct - the correct and most usual forms would be ...

I have no idea,

Or

I don't have any idea.

For when to use each one here is a quote I found on the web ...

• No answers a yes/no question.

"No, the president wasn't surprised by the results of the election."

• No precedes a noun that has no article.

The company had no worthy rivals in the industry.

• No can be used before a noun that is preceded by an adjective, as in the preceding example, but it is not used before any, much, many, or enough.

Jim has no argument with which to continue the discussion.

The manager had no reason to support his request for a raise.

Not

• Not precedes a noun that has an article.

The virus is not the source of the outbreak.

• Not precedes any, much, many, or enough.

Not many amateur astronomers can afford the equipment necessary to study the nova.

There is not much budget left for another trial.

• Not makes a verb negative.

They do not want to proceed with the experimental study.

Thanks, I didn't write them right. - maestroantonio, Sep 12, 2013

Answer 2

Nothing beats simplicity. I would simply say, "I have no idea." This is equivalent to saying "No tengo ni idea."

Gracias :0) - maestroantonio, Sep 13, 2013

Answer 3

I don't have idea VS I no have idea

What's the difference between these sentences? When do I have to use "no" instead of "not"?

Neither is 'good English". They should read:

I don't have any idea. (I do not have any idea).

I have no idea.

Both of these mean pretty much the same. English does not use double negatives like Spanish does.

Gracias :0) - maestroantonio, Sep 13, 2013

Answer 4

No one uses: "I don't have idea" or "I no have idea" They don't exist in English.

Here's what we say in American English: "I have no idea" (emphasis on "no") meaning you know nothing about an event or abstraction. Example: after listening to a person describing his feelings about something and you do not understand, you can say, "I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"I don't have any idea" means about the same, but it is a way of expressing ignorance about a topic or expertise. "I don't have any idea about repairing computers." You can also say "I have no (I don't have any) idea as to how one does such things."

These are just isolated examples of how to use the expressions. As alway, Maestro, you can send me PMs if you need any specific help or translation.

Gracias :0) - maestroantonio, Sep 13, 2013