If Someone Says 9 Phrases In Casual Conversation, They’re Just Not As Smart As You
Trzykropy / Shutterstock The words people use every day can reveal surprising clues about the way they think. While no single phrase can determine someone's intelligence, certain patterns of speech often reflect intellectual curiosity and a willingness to question assumptions.
The opposite can also be true. Some expressions reveal rigid overconfidence or an unwillingness to consider different perspectives, both of which can get in the way of learning and personal growth. Truly intelligent people don't have all the answers, but they tend to stay curious and remain open to changing their minds when presented with new evidence. Because of that, there are certain phrases they rarely rely on in everyday conversation. When someone uses these expressions repeatedly, it may suggest they're approaching the world with less curiosity and self-awareness than they realize.
Someone who says these phrases in their casual conversations is just not as smart as you
1. ‘I know what I’m doing’
Amorn Suriyan | Shutterstock.com
Most people who are overly confident in their intelligence are actually more unskilled than they are aware of. They overpromise and underdeliver, coping with internal insecurities by pretending to be smarter than they are, even when it’s entirely subconscious.
Compared to open-minded, intelligent people who aren’t worried about being right, these insecure individuals refuse to take advice or help from anyone. The second they’re met with a new perspective or a suggestion, they get immediately defensive. They know that they don't actually know what they’re talking about, and they don't want everyone else to know so too.
2. ‘You’re wrong’
Especially when they’re talking about their beliefs or sharing opinions, someone who’s clearly not as smart as you will get defensive over being corrected. Even when there’s truthfully no right or wrong answer, they’re still prone to saying, “You’re wrong” when someone doesn’t share their same opinion.
They have no idea how to distinguish between subjective and objective ideas, so their conversations revolve around unnecessary arguments and tension. Even when they're discussing simple topics like hobbies and personal taste in food, there’s always some kind of debate that leaves the people they're speaking with feeling unheard and overlooked.
3. ‘That’s what happens when you do that’
Whether they're dismissing someone’s behavior or invalidating their need for support, people with a lack of intelligence mix up correlation and causation. Once they get in their heads that something is bad luck or that two unrelated things cause each other, they use phrases like this constantly.
“I knew this would happen,” and “that’s what happens when you do that” are just a few of the many things someone who doesn’t really understand how to think critically might say, as they prefer to cling to easy assumptions.
4. ‘I don’t really care’
While the smartest people in a conversation will ask intentional questions and lean into things they don’t understand, their less smart counterparts are uninterested. “I don’t really care” and “I didn’t ask” come out of their mouths often, to the dismay of smart friends who are seriously curious about newness and different perspectives.
Not only do they isolate themselves by overlooking this pillar of active listening during conversations with others, but they also close themselves off from learning new skills and appreciating different people’s opinions.
5. ‘Let me talk’
we.bond.creations | Shutterstock.com
Intelligent people listen more than they talk. One of their most admirable qualities is that they are able to take a true interest in what others are saying.
If this is you, you probably connect with people often and appreciate the awkward spaces in conversations that others try to instantly fill. If someone isn’t as smart as you, they’re those kinds of people. They’re loud. They’re always trying to seek the center of attention. They need to fill awkward silences. They speak fast and try to prove something, even when quietness is often the key to honest, productive conversations.
6. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’
Smart people admit when they don’t know or understand something to seek help, but when a less smart person uses this phrase, it’s usually said in a defensive way. When they’re being called out for misbehavior or immaturity, they'll say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” as a way to weaponize their ignorance.
Despite spending most of their time trying to prove they’re smart and intuitive, when the tables are turned on them to take accountability, they’re not afraid to play the victim. They lack self-awareness completely, and it shows.
7. ‘Why do you care so much?’
Being a curious person adds value and meaning to your life, and intelligent people are innately curious. They ask questions and learn new things because they’re interested, not because they think it’ll offer them something tangible in return. That’s just how their brains work. They’re always seeking new information.
However, you can spot someone who lacks that intellect and curiosity by dismissive questions like, “Why do you care so much?” They’re annoyed when they’re pulled into conversations and asked questions they don’t understand, but they’re also ignorant of the joys of learning.
8. ‘Do you think that’s good?’
Instead of learning to appreciate their own internal critical-thinking skills and using collaborative energy thoughtfully, people who are less smart than the average person seek external validation. They need other people to approve their ideas or to provide their own, so they have something to cling to.
They don’t think for themselves, and if they do, they need someone else’s sign-off to feel confident sharing ideas.
9. ‘I would never wear that’
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock.com
There are so many diverse, unique examples of a low-IQ person’s superficiality. In this case, “I would never wear that” is a judgment attached to someone’s appearance and perceived status, but all kinds of things could prompt a low-IQ person to dislike or avoid someone.
They’re driven by their own social image and validation, so, of course, they care about things as superficial as clothing or someone’s wealth.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
