I know you are but what am I

English

Alternative forms

• I know you are, but what am I

Etymology

Uncertain, but dates back at least to the June 15th, 1957 issue of The New Yorker (Vol. 33 No. 17, page 23). In "The Talk of the Town", which was a collaborative effort by the magazine's staff writers: "INTERROGATIVE WISP FOUND IN GUTTER OF MACDOUGAL STREET: 'I know you are but what am I?'" The phrase is often attributed to Pee-Wee Herman.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Phrase

I know you are but what am I?

1. (rhetorical question, colloquial, childish) Assertion that an insult made by the party to whom the phrase is directed is actually true of that party, and not of the person using the phrase. Usually considered to be a playground taunt.
   • 1984, McCall's, volume 111, page 62:

     I know you are but what am I? Jeannie would say out loud, whenever I mouthed a name at her.

   • 2003, Mark E. Jones, Echoes of Heaven, page 7:

     At this point Johnny changes tactics and hollers, "I know you are, but what am I?" and the voice echoes, "I know you are, but what am I?"

   • 2005, American Numismatic Association, The Numismatist, page 14:

     So when Mr. Macchia states that people who collect state quarters are fools, my son says I should reply, "I know you are, but what am I?"

Translations

assertion that an insult made by the party to whom the phrase is directed is actually true of that party

• Czech: kdo to říká ten to je, tomu se to rýmuje
• Dutch: wat je zegt, ben je zelf
• Finnish: itse olet, ite oot (colloquial), niin oletkin, nii ootki (colloquial), joka toista haukkuu, on itse
• French: c’est celui qui dit qui y est, c’est celui qui dit qui l’est (fr)
• Georgian: ჩემი შენ გითხარიო (čemi šen gitxario)
• German: wer es sagt, der ist es selber, selber, selber, lachen alle Kälber
• Greek: όποιος το λέει είναι (ópoios to léei eínai)
• Hungarian: aki mondja másra, az mondja magára
• Italian: il bue che dice cornuto all'asino
• Norwegian: det kan du være selv, jeg vet du er, men hva er jeg?
• Polish: chyba ty (pl)
• Portuguese: quem o diz é quem o é pl
• Russian: от такого и слышу (ot takovo i slyšu) (I hear it from such one)
• Spanish: el burro hablando de orejas, el comal le dijo a la olla, mira quién habla
• Swedish: den som sa det kan va det
• Turkish: kendi diyen kendi olur, sensin o
• Zazaki: Kam vano zana beno ey

See also

• it takes one to know one
• I'm rubber, you're glue
• pot calling the kettle black