Phrase guide

go without saying

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To not need to be said or mentioned; to be obvious, apparent, clear, or already established.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, impersonal

Examples

  • It goes without saying that our volunteers love their work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of French aller sans dire.

Across languages

Translations

60 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ինքնին հասկանալի է (inkʻnin haskanali ē) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Cantonese: 唔使講 /唔使讲 (m4 sai2 gong2) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不言而喻 (bùyán'éryù) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不待說 /不待说 (bùdàishuō) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不用說 /不用说 (bùyòngshuō) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 沒說的 /没说的 (méishuōde) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不消說 /不消说 (bùxiāoshuō) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Chinese Mandarin: 自不待言 (zìbùdàiyán) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Dutch: ontegenzeggelijk zijn — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Dutch: voor zich spreken — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Estonian: on ütlematagi selge — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Finnish: olla sanomattakin selvää — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • French: cela va sans dire — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • French: ça va sans dire — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • French: il va sans dire — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • French: il va de soi — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • French: inutile de dire — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • German: sich von selbst verstehen — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • German: selbstverständlich sein — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • German: klar sein — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Hungarian: magától értetődik — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Hungarian: mondani sem kell — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Icelandic: það segir sig sjálft — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Icelandic: það er sjálfsagt — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Icelandic: það er ekki nema sjálfsagt — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Irish: ní gá é sin a rá — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Italian: va da sé — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Italian: si capisce — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Italian: inutile dire — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Japanese: 言うまでもない (iu made mo nai) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Korean: 말할 것도 없다 (malhal geotdo eopda) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Macedonian: се подра́збира (se podrázbira) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Norwegian Bokmål: si seg selv — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Norwegian Bokmål: si seg sjøl — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: si seg sjølv — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Occitan: anar-se'n tot medish — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Polish: być oczywistym — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Portuguese: não precisa nem dizer — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Russian: само́ собо́й разуме́ется (samó sobój razuméjetsja) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Russian: разуме́ется (razuméjetsja) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Russian: само́ собо́й (samó sobój) — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Serbo-Croatian: подразумéвати се — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Serbo-Croatian: подразумијéвати се — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Serbo-Croatian: podrazumévati se — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Serbo-Croatian: podrazumijévati se — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: ni que decir tener — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: holgar decir que — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: ir por delante — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: sobrar decir que — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: sobreentenderse — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: subentenderse — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: estar de más decir — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: no hacer falta decir — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: de más estar decir — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: estar de más decirlo — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: no hacer falta mencionarlo — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Spanish: ni tenerse que decir — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Swedish: der säger sig självt — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Swedish: det är underförstått — to be obvious, apparent or clear
  • Welsh: 'does dim rhaid dweud — to be obvious, apparent or clear