> German negative commands, how to form them using “nicht” and “kein,” and examples across all pronouns and verb types.
Negative commands in German tell someone not to do something. They are formed by using the imperative mood along with the negation words nicht (not) or kein (no/none). The choice between nicht and kein depends on what part of the sentence is being negated—verbs and most elements use nicht, while negatable nouns use kein. This page covers how to create negative commands in German, including examples and tips for all pronouns and verb types.
How German Negative Commands Work
In German, you make a command negative by simply adding nicht (or kein) before the thing you want to negate. For most verbs and situations, nicht is used to negate the action. If you are negating a noun that would normally take an article, use kein instead.
| Aspect | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Word Order | Negative word goes immediately after the verb in the imperative | Komm nicht! (Don’t come!) |
| Use of nicht | Negates verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and general statements | Mach nicht die Tür zu! |
| Use of kein | Negates nouns that have indefinite articles or are plural | Nimm kein Brot! |
Common mistake: Avoid using nicht before the verb itself; it usually follows the verb or the specific object/phrase being negated.
Forming Negative Commands
Step 1: Make the Imperative Verb
Start with the imperative form of the verb:
| Pronoun | Imperative Example (rufen) | Command (English) |
|---|---|---|
| du | Ruf! | Call! |
| ihr | Ruft! | Call! (you all) |
| Sie | Rufen Sie! | Call! (formal) |
| wir | Rufen wir! | Let’s call! |
Step 2: Add the Negation
Add nicht or kein to make the command negative:
- Use nicht for verbs and most other negations.
- Use kein to negate nouns that would normally have an indefinite article (ein/eine) or are plural.
| Verb | Negative Command | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| kommen | Komm nicht! | Don’t come! |
| machen | Macht nicht die Tür zu! | Don’t close the door! |
| nehmen (Brot) | Nimm kein Brot! | Don’t take any bread! |
| trinken (Milch) | Trink keine Milch! | Don’t drink any milk! |
Examples Across All Pronouns
Du (singular informal)
| Positive Command | Negative Command | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ruf mich! | Ruf mich nicht! | Call me! / Don’t call me! |
| Komm her! | Komm nicht her! | Come here! / Don’t come here! |
| Nimm Brot! | Nimm kein Brot! | Take bread! / Don’t take any bread! |
Ihr (plural informal)
| Positive Command | Negative Command | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Fahrt schnell! | Fahrt nicht schnell! | Drive fast! / Don’t drive fast! |
| Esst das Obst! | Esst kein Obst! | Eat the fruit! / Don’t eat any fruit! |
| Spielt draußen! | Spielt nicht draußen! | Play outside! / Don’t play outside! |
Sie (formal singular and plural)
| Positive Command | Negative Command | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Schreiben Sie! | Schreiben Sie nicht! | Write! / Don’t write! |
| Nehmen Sie Platz! | Nehmen Sie nicht Platz! | Take a seat! / Don’t take a seat! |
| Trinken Sie Kaffee! | Trinken Sie keinen Kaffee! | Drink coffee! / Don’t drink any coffee! |
Wir (let’s)
| Positive Command | Negative Command | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Gehen wir! | Gehen wir nicht! | Let’s go! / Let’s not go! |
| Essen wir zusammen! | Essen wir kein Fleisch! | Let’s eat together! / Let’s not eat any meat! |
| Machen wir eine Pause! | Machen wir nicht eine Pause! | Let’s take a break! / Let’s not take a break! |
Tips for Correct Usage
- Don’t use “nicht” before the verb in imperatives. It usually goes after the verb or after the object/phrase being negated:
- Correct: Komm nicht!
- Incorrect: Nicht komm!
- Use “kein” only when negating nouns that would have an article (ein/eine) or are plural:
- Nimm kein Brot! (Don’t take any bread!)
- Trinkt keine Milch! (Don’t drink any milk!)
- Adjective endings follow the usual grammar rules when using “kein”:
- Nimm keinen Apfel! (Don’t take an apple!)
- Trinkt keine Cola! (Don’t drink Coke!)
- For separable prefix verbs, the prefix goes at the end as usual:
- Steh nicht auf! (Don’t get up!)
- Ruf mich nicht an! (Don’t call me!)
- Polite negative commands can use “bitte nicht” for softness:
- Kommen Sie bitte nicht zu spät! (Please don’t be late!)
Summary
- Use nicht to negate verbs and most elements in German negative commands.
- Use kein to negate nouns that would have an indefinite article or are plural.
- Place the negation word after the imperative verb, not before it.
- Follow normal adjective and article agreement rules with kein.
- Use the correct imperative form for du, ihr, Sie, and wir before adding the negation.
Last updated: Sat May 31, 2025
