I'll Have Nothing to Do With You

QUESTION:

Ali wants to know what it means when someone says, "It has nothing to do with me."

ANSWER:

The expression "to have nothing to do with (someone/something)" is used in three main ways.

First, we use it when we want to say that something isn't related to me, it doesn't concern me, or it does not involve me.

For example:

• "Why are you asking me all of these questions about the new building? I'm not on the planning committee and it has nothing to do with me."

You are saying, very strongly, that you are not involved in the planning of the new building and this person should stop asking you questions.

A second way to use this expression is to mean that you are innocent of something.

For example:

• "I'm sorry that your car broke down, but it has nothing to do with me driving it yesterday."

You are saying that although the car you borrowed from this person broke down today, it is not because of anything you did while you drove it yesterday. In other words, you are innocent and did nothing wrong.

A third way that this expression is used is to strongly refuse friendship or contact with someone.

For example:

• "I asked her for a date, but after I made a joke about her in front of the whole class, she said she will have nothing to do with me."

This person is saying that the girl he asked for a date will absolutely not have any contact with him, because of what he did earlier. This sounds a little old-fashioned these days. A more common way to say this would be:

• "I asked her for a date, but after I made a joke about her in front of the whole class, she said she doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

"To have nothing to do with (someone/something) can mean any of these three things and the context (situation; words used around it) will tell you which one it is.

Thanks for the question, Ali, and I hope this is helpful!

~ Lucy