A1 German GrammarNegation
Learn to make negative sentences in German using 'nicht' and 'kein'. Understand the difference between these two negation words and where to place them correctly in a sentence.
1Negation with 'nicht'
The word 'nicht' (not) is used to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and specific parts of a sentence. It typically comes after the conjugated verb and objects, but before adjectives and adverbs.
Position of 'nicht'
| Positive | Negative | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ich komme. | Ich komme nicht. | I'm not coming. |
| Das ist gut. | Das ist nicht gut. | That's not good. |
| Er arbeitet heute. | Er arbeitet heute nicht. | He's not working today. |
| Sie singt schön. | Sie singt nicht schön. | She doesn't sing well. |
Examples
Ich verstehe nicht.
I don't understand.
'Nicht' at the end
Das Wetter ist nicht schön.
The weather is not nice.
'Nicht' before adjective
Er kommt nicht aus Deutschland.
He's not from Germany.
'Nicht' before prepositional phrase
Ich spiele nicht gern Fußball.
I don't like playing football.
'Nicht' before 'gern'
2Negation with 'kein'
'Kein' (no, not a/any) is used to negate nouns that would take an indefinite article (ein/eine) or no article. 'Kein' changes form based on gender, case, and number like 'ein'.
Forms of 'kein'
| Gender | Nominative | Accusative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | kein | keinen | no/not a |
| Feminine | keine | keine | no/not a |
| Neuter | kein | kein | no/not a |
| Plural | keine | keine | no/not any |
Examples
Ich habe kein Auto.
I don't have a car.
'Kein' with neuter noun
Das ist keine gute Idee.
That's not a good idea.
'Keine' with feminine noun
Er hat keinen Bruder.
He doesn't have a brother.
'Keinen' - accusative masculine
Wir haben keine Zeit.
We don't have time.
'Keine' with feminine noun
3Nicht vs. Kein
The choice between 'nicht' and 'kein' depends on the noun. Use 'kein' when negating nouns with indefinite or zero article. Use 'nicht' for nouns with definite articles or possessives.
When to Use Nicht vs. Kein
| Use 'kein' | Use 'nicht' | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Ich habe kein Geld. | — | indefinite noun |
| — | Ich habe das Geld nicht. | definite article |
| — | Ich habe mein Geld nicht. | possessive |
| Das ist kein Problem. | Das ist nicht mein Problem. | indefinite vs. possessive |
Examples
Ich trinke keinen Kaffee.
I don't drink coffee.
'Kein' - no specific coffee
Ich trinke den Kaffee nicht.
I'm not drinking the coffee.
'Nicht' - the specific coffee
Sie hat keine Kinder.
She has no children.
'Keine' - plural noun
Das ist nicht meine Tasche.
That's not my bag.
'Nicht' - with possessive
4Other Negative Words
German has several other negative words: 'nein' (no), 'nie/niemals' (never), 'niemand' (nobody), 'nichts' (nothing), and 'nirgendwo' (nowhere). These replace the subject or object they negate.
Common Negative Words
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| nein | no | answer to yes/no question |
| nie / niemals | never | time expression |
| niemand | nobody | replaces a person |
| nichts | nothing | replaces a thing |
Examples
Nein, das stimmt nicht.
No, that's not right.
'Nein' to answer
Ich bin nie müde.
I'm never tired.
'Nie' replaces a time
Niemand ist zu Hause.
Nobody is home.
'Niemand' as subject
Ich weiß nichts.
I know nothing.
'Nichts' as object