Negatives
Negatives in German flip meaning and come in several forms like nicht and various kein-words that target different kinds of negation. This guide walks through the main negative particles and when to use them.
nicht
Use nicht to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and specific parts of a sentence; it generally appears before what you want to cancel or at the end of the clause. Think of nicht as ticking off a particular detail rather than removing an entire noun.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🌇 Ich sehe die Sonne nicht. | I do not see the sun. | Negates seeing the sun. |
| 🏖️ Das Wasser ist nicht warm. | The water is not warm. | Negates the adjective. |
| 🧴 Ich habe das Handtuch nicht dabei. | I do not have the towel with me. | Negates possession. |
| 🚶♂️ Er geht nicht zum Strand. | He is not going to the beach. | Negates the verb. |
| 🕶️ Sie trägt die Sonnenbrille nicht. | She is not wearing the sunglasses. | Negates the direct object. |
Placement
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kein
Kein negates nouns that would otherwise have an indefinite article or no article, and it agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it replaces. Use kein to say "no" or "not any" when negating things like ein Buch, mehr Zeit, or similar noun phrases.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 🏖️ Wir haben keinen Platz am Strand. | We have no space on the beach. | Negates the noun with article. |
| 🥤 Ich habe keine Flasche Wasser. | I have no bottle of water. | Feminine form. |
| 🧼 Es gibt kein Handtuch extra. | There is no extra towel. | Neuter form. |
| 🚫 Sie machen keine Spiele im Wasser. | They do not play games in the water. | Plural form. |
| 🔍 Ich finde keinen Ball am Strand. | I cannot find a ball on the beach. | Negates singular noun. |
Forms
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| kein | no/not any (masc. nom.) |
| keine | no/not any (fem. nom. or pl. nom./acc.) |
| kein | no/not any (neut. nom./acc.) |
| keinen | no/not any (masc. acc.) |
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Other Negative Words
German has several negative pronouns and adverbs like nie (never), nichts (nothing), niemand (no one), and weder ... noch (neither ... nor) that express more specific kinds of negation. These words often replace entire noun phrases or add emphasis to the denial.
Double Negatives
Double negatives can occur in German for emphasis and usually result in an intensified negation rather than a neutralizing positive; for example, Ich habe nicht mehr Zeit versus Ich habe überhaupt keine Zeit. Pay attention to whether negatives reinforce each other or twist the meaning.
Summary
Use nicht to negate verbs and specific elements, kein to negate noun phrases that would have an article, and other negative words like nie and nichts for more precise negations. Practice placing negatives according to what you want to cancel to make your sentences clear and natural.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025