Meaning

"Beats me" means "I have no idea." Someone asks a question, and you don't know the answer. The picture is of a puzzle or a problem that has beaten you in a fight: it won, you lost. The full version is "It beats me," and you'll also hear "What beats me is why..." for something you can't understand.

It is casual and a little humorous. It's great for small mysteries between friends and coworkers: why the printer's jammed, where the scissors went. With a boss, a teacher or a customer asking a real question, it can sound careless, because it gives no help. In those cases, try "I'm not sure, but I can find out."

In a conversation

GeorgeXiao
  1. George
  2. Xiao
  3. George
  4. Xiao
  5. George

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Check yourself

1George asks about the goat. Xiao says "Beats me." What does she mean?
2A customer asks when their package will arrive. Which reply is best?

Practice · 3 min

Listen, then say each line with a small shrug in your voice. "Beats" is stressed, and "me" is light.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.