you know
Following my drift?
You know is a filler phrase with several functions.
It can check whether someone follows: The place on Fifth Street, you know, by the bakery?
It softens statements or seeks agreement: It's not easy, you know.
Overused, it becomes verbal static—a habit some speakers scatter through every sentence.
In casual speech, you know what I mean often contracts to y'know what I mean or just y'know.
Spoken hesitation marker
- uhVocalized hesitation marker
- likeComparable to, or enjoy
- soConsequently, as a result
- wellDug water source
actually · basically · literally · right · I mean · anyway · whatever · sort of
A joining or relation
- familiarityKnowledge through experience
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- complicityShared criminal involvement
- common groundPoints of agreement
bonding · camaraderie · wink · nudge · implication · unspoken · between us
Morally proper or entitled
- yeahCasual spoken agreement
- exactlyWith total accuracy
- indeedWord affirming emphasis
- agreedShared the same view
understood · gotcha · sure · okay · acknowledgment · affirmation · validation · recognition
Stress given to something
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- appealFormal review request
- promptingGiving reminders to continue
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
um
Spoken hesitation marker
well · actually · basically · literally · right · I mean · anyway · whatever · sort of · kind of
connection
A joining or relation
- familiarityKnowledge through experience
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- complicityShared criminal involvement
common ground · bonding · camaraderie · wink · nudge · implication · unspoken · between us
right
Morally proper or entitled
agreed · understood · gotcha · sure · okay · acknowledgment · affirmation · validation · recognition · concurrence
emphasis
Stress given to something
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- appealFormal review request
- promptingGiving reminders to continue
- filler phrasesum, uh, like, I mean, basically
- speech habitsmumbling, stuttering, stammering, rambling, interrupting
- speech fillersuh, um, er, hmm, like
- filler wordsum, uh, er, hmm, ah
- repetitive speechrepetition, echo, reiteration, stutter, stammer
- Unscripted Speechad-lib, improv, impromptu speech, winging it, rambling
you knowspecifically
In a precise manner
precisely · in other words · to clarify · namely · in no uncertain terms
know, knowledge, known, knowing, unknown, you, knows, well-known, knowingly