Basic Roles
Nicht and kein are the two main words for negation in German.
- Nicht negates verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or entire clauses.
- Kein negates nouns that have an indefinite article or no article (it means "no" or "not any").
Using nicht
Nicht is used to negate:
- Verbs (e.g., Ich schlafe nicht.)
- Adjectives/adverbs (e.g., Das ist nicht schön.)
- Entire sentences or parts of sentences
Using kein
Kein is used to negate nouns that are:
- Accompanied by an indefinite article (ein, eine)
- Without an article but implying "any"
It declines like the indefinite article:
- Masculine: kein
- Feminine: keine
- Plural: keine
Examples
| German Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Ich habe keinen Hund. | I don’t have a dog. |
| Ich habe nicht einen Hund, sondern eine Katze. | I don’t have a dog, but a cat. |
| Ich schlafe nicht. | I am not sleeping. |
| Das ist nicht mein Buch. | That is not my book. |
I don’t have a dog.
Ich habe keinen Hund.
'Hund' is masculine, so the correct form is 'keinen' to negate the indefinite object.
Summary
- Use kein to negate nouns that take “ein” or no article.
- Use nicht to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or whole sentences.
When should you use "kein" instead of "nicht"?
Use "kein" to negate nouns that take an indefinite article or no article.
"Kein" is specifically for negating nouns with indefinite articles or no article, whereas "nicht" is more general.
Flashcards (1 of 4)
- English Example: I don’t have a dog.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
