Negation: nicht and kein
How to make sentences negative in German
Key Points
- nicht = not (for verbs, adjectives, specific nouns)
- kein = no/not a (for indefinite nouns)
- kein changes endings like ein
- Use kein if you would use ein in positive form
Negation in German
German has two main ways to negate: nicht and kein.
Using 'nicht' (not)
nicht negates:
- Verbs
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Specific nouns with articles
Position of 'nicht'
After:
- The conjugated verb (if it's the only verb)
- Ich verstehe nicht. (I don't understand.)
- Direct objects
- Ich sehe den Mann nicht. (I don't see the man.)
Before:
- Adjectives
- Das Haus ist nicht groß. (The house is not big.)
- Adverbs
- Er singt nicht gut. (He doesn't sing well.)
- Prepositional phrases
- Ich gehe nicht zur Schule. (I'm not going to school.)
Using 'kein' (no/not a/not any)
kein negates:
- Nouns with indefinite articles (ein/eine)
- Nouns with no article
kein changes like 'ein':
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | kein | keine | kein | keine |
| Accusative | keinen | keine | kein | keine |
Examples with 'kein'
-
Ich habe keinen Hund. (I don't have a dog.)
- Positive: Ich habe einen Hund.
-
Er hat keine Zeit. (He has no time.)
- Positive: Er hat Zeit.
-
Das ist kein Problem. (That's not a problem.)
- Positive: Das ist ein Problem.
Quick Rule
Use 'kein' if you could use 'ein' in the positive sentence.
Use 'nicht' for everything else.
Examples
"Ich habe kein Auto."
"I don't have a car."
💡 Using 'kein' because positive would be 'ein Auto'
"Das ist nicht mein Auto."
"That's not my car."
💡 Using 'nicht' because 'mein' is already there
"Sie wohnt nicht in Berlin."
"She doesn't live in Berlin."
💡 Using 'nicht' before prepositional phrase
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✗ Using 'nicht' with indefinite nouns (should be kein)
- ✗ Using 'kein' with definite articles (should be nicht)
- ✗ Wrong position of 'nicht' in the sentence
Practice Tips
Take positive sentences and make them negative. Decide: ein/eine or no article? → Use kein. Everything else? → Use nicht.
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