# Я там родился знаешь Конечно не знаешь откуда тебе.



## terredepomme

Я там родился знаешь конечно не знаешь откуда тебе.

I was born there, you know, of course you don't know where it is. (?)
But why is it тебе? Shouldn't it be ты?

Context: An old man is asking a young man to be buried at the sea.


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## Ptak

It could be:

1. Я там родился, знаешь... Конечно, не знаешь, откуда тебе.
2. Я там родился. Знаешь? Конечно, не знаешь, откуда тебе.
3. Я там родился, знаешь, конечно... Не знаешь, откуда тебе.

And maybe some other variants. A trasnalation for every one would be different.

"Откуда тебе" is shortened from "откуда тебе знать" and means "How could you know? Of course you don't."


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## kobets

Just an addition to Ptak's explanations:
"Тебе" is the Dative form of "ты".


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## terredepomme

Does откуда + Dative mean "how can (someone)..." ?


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## kobets

terredepomme,
Yep.


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## Ptak

terredepomme said:


> Does откуда + Dative mean "how can (someone)..." ?


No.
With знать it works, but it doesn't mean that it is a construction which would work with any verb.


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## terredepomme

My dictionary just says откуда means "from where." Can it also mean "how"?


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## Ptak

> Can it also mean "how"?


No.

From where = from what source

"from what source could you know"


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## terredepomme

> "from what source could you know"


I see. But I don't understand how dative+infinitive can be used. Shouldn't it be откуда ты знаешь?


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## Maroseika

terredepomme said:


> My dictionary just says откуда means "from where." Can it also mean "how"?


In some cases - yes (colloquially):

Откуда я знаю? (How can I know?)

- У тебя хорошая зарплата?
- Да нет, откуда? (No, how can it be good?)

Or like in your example. Curiousley, in this case откуда can be changed to куда: 
... конечно, не знаешь. Откуда тебе?
... конечно, не знаешь. Куда тебе? (with some trace of disregard, though)

But mostly - not, in most cases it really means just 'from where".


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## terredepomme

> Откуда я знаю? (How can I know?)


Can it also be Откуда мне знать?


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## Ptak

terredepomme said:


> I see. But I don't understand how dative+infinitive can be used. Shouldn't it be откуда ты знаешь?


"Откуда тебе знать" is the way we Russians say it. Probably it is just to be known and remembered, not explained.

"Откуда ты знаешь?" would also be translated in English as "How could you know?", but in most cases with another meaning: How did it _happen_ that you know? Why do you know?


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## terredepomme

I see. Are there any other instances where dative+infinitive is used? Or is this formule exclusive to this expression?


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## Maroseika

terredepomme said:


> I see. Are there any other instances where dative+infinitive is used? Or is this formule exclusive to this expression?



In many cases:

Вышел месяц из тумана,
Вынул ножик из кармана,
Буду резать, буду бить,
Все равно тебе водить (you will lead the game anyway).

Я знаю - город будет, 
я знаю - саду цвесть (garden will blossom without fail), 
когда такие люди 
в стране в советской есть!
(Маяковский)

Мне лучше знать. 

Тебе жить, тебе и решать.


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## terredepomme

Thank for you answers!


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## oirobi

Я там родился. Знаешь? Конечно, не знаешь! Откуда тебе *знать!?
*
I was born there. You know? Sure, you don't! How would you?!

"Откуда тебе знать" means "How would/can you know?!"

That's it - plain and simple ))

PS. Out of pure curiosity - does _*Coreano*_ mean Korean? ))


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## LilianaB

I agree with Oirobi. This is what it means in the essence. It is more of an idiomatic expression, so I don't think any general rules could be drawn from that.


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## Ptak

LilianaB said:


> I agree with Oirobi.


Why not with me? All the same was said in the very first answer in this thread:



> "Откуда тебе" is shortened from "откуда тебе знать" and means "How could you know? Of course you don't."


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## LilianaB

I agree with you, too. In fact you said a similar thing.


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