People Who Constantly Lie Tend to Use These 6 Phrases in Everyday Conversations

You ask someone a simple question, expecting a straightforward answer. Instead, they claim they cannot remember, become offended, or turn the question back on you. The conversation suddenly becomes more complicated than it needs to be.

Certain expressions can sometimes appear when people are avoiding uncomfortable questions or trying to create a misleading impression. However, hearing one of these phrases does not automatically mean someone is lying.

People forget things, feel defensive, and occasionally struggle to explain themselves. What matters is the context, how they respond to follow-up questions, and whether their explanation matches the available information.

Here are six phrases worth paying attention to when everyday conversations start becoming unusually difficult.

I Don’t Remember

Imagine asking your roommate whether they agreed to pay the internet bill this month. Instead of discussing the arrangement, they say, “I don’t remember having that conversation.”

Sometimes, this is a genuine memory lapse. People forget conversations, especially when they happen casually or several weeks earlier. However, claiming not to remember can also become a convenient way to avoid responsibility when someone does not want to discuss an uncomfortable situation.

In an article for the FBI’s Law Enforcement Bulletin, Brian D. Fitch discusses how people withholding information may claim ignorance or faulty memory. His article also emphasizes that no single behavior accurately predicts whether someone is lying.

Repeated claims of forgetfulness may leave an issue unresolved, but repetition alone cannot tell you whether the memory problem is genuine. Relevant messages, records, or other information may help clarify what happened.

Why Would I Lie About That?

You ask a family member whether they shared something private you previously told them. Rather than answering yes or no, they respond, “Why would I lie about that?”

It sounds like a response, but it does not actually answer the question. Instead, attention shifts toward whether the person has a reason to lie, leaving the original concern unresolved.

Psychologist Jack Schafer discusses answering a question with another question as one of several behaviors that can occur during deceptive communication. He also cautions that truthful people sometimes behave in ways that look deceptive.

An innocent person who feels unfairly accused might react the same way. The expression alone proves nothing. What matters is whether the person eventually addresses what you actually asked.

How Dare You Ask Me Something Like That?

Imagine asking someone whether they used your credit card without permission. Instead of explaining what happened, they become offended and respond, “How dare you ask me something like that?”

The conversation immediately changes direction. Rather than discussing the credit card, you may find yourself explaining why you asked the question in the first place.

A July 2001 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin article on detecting deception includes this expression among responses that can give someone additional time to formulate an answer. That is investigative guidance, not proof that the phrase identifies dishonest people.

Someone who genuinely feels accused or misunderstood may respond emotionally. An offended reaction does not establish whether their account is accurate.

The useful distinction is whether the emotional reaction eventually leads to an explanation or completely replaces one. A person can express frustration while still answering a reasonable question.

Well, It’s Not So Simple as Yes or No.

Some questions really are complicated. However, there are situations where a straightforward question receives an unexpectedly complicated response.

For example, you ask a contractor whether a repair estimate includes labor. They respond, “Well, it’s not so simple as yes or no,” before launching into a lengthy explanation about their business. You still need to know what the estimate covers.

The same FBI bulletin includes this expression among examples of wording that can provide someone with additional thinking time during questioning. It does not establish that the expression independently predicts deception.

A contractor may genuinely need to explain different labor charges or conditions. Asking what makes the answer complicated can help clarify the issue without assuming dishonesty.

That’s an Excellent Question

Compliments can make conversations feel friendly, but sometimes they also delay an answer.

Imagine asking a contractor whether their quoted price includes disposal fees. They respond, “That’s an excellent question,” and then begin discussing their company’s experience, previous projects, and customer service.

The response sounds polite, but you still do not know whether disposal fees are included. The FBI’s July 2001 bulletin also identifies this expression as wording that can give a speaker additional time to think before answering.

However, there is nothing inherently dishonest about appreciating a good question. Someone might genuinely need to check a document, confirm a price, or gather accurate information.

Pay attention to what happens next. If the person provides a clear answer, the initial delay may mean very little. If the conversation repeatedly moves elsewhere, returning to the original question is reasonable.

I Told You the Truth

One form of misleading communication involves saying something technically accurate while deliberately leaving someone with the wrong impression.

Researchers Todd Rogers and colleagues examined this behavior in their 2017 study, “Artful Paltering: The Risks and Rewards of Using Truthful Statements to Mislead Others,” published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. They called the behavior paltering.

Consider buying a used appliance. You ask the seller whether it has ever needed repairs. They respond that it worked perfectly yesterday. That statement might be true, but it does not answer your question.

When you later discover its repair history, the seller insists, “I told you the truth.”

Across two pilot studies and six experiments, the researchers examined how truthful statements can deliberately mislead. Their findings, largely concerning negotiations, also identified risks to reputations and successful agreements.

This does not mean everyone using the phrase is dishonest. The issue is whether the speaker deliberately created a misleading impression, not simply whether an answer was incomplete.

What Matters More Than the Words Themselves?

Recognizing potentially evasive language can help people identify unanswered questions, but it is not a reliable way to identify someone who lies.

A meta-analysis examining 44 studies on linguistic indicators of deception found relatively small differences between truthful and deceptive communication. The findings also varied depending on the circumstances.

The FBI bulletin guidance likewise emphasizes that no single behavior accurately predicts whether someone is telling the truth.

Instead of judging someone by one expression, consider the context, whether they answer the original question, and whether available information supports their account. Consistency matters, but corroborating facts matter too.

Sometimes, the most useful question is not why someone chose a particular phrase, but whether the conversation ever resolved what you needed to know.