The Tips To Selecting Kein vs. Nicht For Right German Negation

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Half of studying learn how to converse German includes describing what issues “will not be” as a lot as it’s describing “what’s.” To be abundantly clear in communication, Germans determined to separate up their negation into two phrases. You get to determine to make use of kein vs. nicht (or “not any” vs. “not”) when crafting the proper German sentence to convey your ideas and opinions. Study what the distinction is between kein vs. nicht and learn how to use them in several contexts as you learn under.

Understanding the meanings of kein vs. nicht

Each of the phrases kein (not any) and nicht (not) are used as a means for learn how to say “no” in German, particularly to negate completely different elements of speech. Similar to we’ve made a distinction in English between “listening to” and “listening,”  the strategy for learn how to negate in German has equally been break up up between completely different phrases.

Although English makes use of the phrase “not” or “not any,” the German language has assigned particular phrases for each phrases for readability. Studying when to make use of kein or nicht in German is necessary to grammatical accuracy, which is helpful in informal gatherings in addition to in skilled conferences together with your new German shopper.

When to make use of nicht in German

Nicht (not) is principally utilized in German to negate elements of speech that aren’t a noun, corresponding to an adverb, adjective, or some other a part of speech you may select to say “no” to. As an illustration, you’ll be able to say Er geht nicht zur Social gathering (He isn’t going to the celebration) and use nicht to negate the verb geht (goes). 

You may additionally use nicht to negate round nouns below these circumstances:

• preceded by a particular German article like der (the, masculine), die (the, female), or das (the, neuter)
  • Ich habe den Ball nicht gefangen. = I’ve not discovered the ball.
    
• the noun follows a possessive pronoun like mein (my) or dein (your)
  • Nein. Das ist nicht mein Hut. = No. That’s not my hat.
    
• a correct noun like Berlin or Elvis
  • Nein, ich heiße nicht Elvis. = No, my title isn’t Elvis.

Typically, nicht is the most typical strategy to negate elements of a sentence within the German language versus kein (not any), which is barely used for sure contexts of nouns.

Tips on how to use nicht in a German sentence

Deciding the place to position nicht (not) in a German sentence is determined by the construction of the sentence itself. In predominant clauses, for instance, the phrase nicht is just positioned after the conjugated verb and earlier than the thing or different elements of the sentence to which the verb is referring, like within the sentence Wir gehen nicht einkaufen (We don’t buy groceries).

There are a number of extra particular circumstances that alter the place you get to position nicht in your German conversations and writing that you just’ll wish to overview.

In sentences with separable German verbs

Nicht is positioned between the 2 elements of a separable German verb—after the core verb however earlier than its separated prefix. For instance, in Wir kaufen nicht ein (We don’t purchase), nicht splits the 2 elements of the verb einkaufen (to buy). You’ll additionally see that the prefix is moved to the top of the sentence.

With modal verbs

In sentences with German modal verbs, you’ll merely place nicht earlier than the infinitive, which is the bottom, unchanged type of a verb. Usually, it is going to be discovered on the finish of the sentence. Within the instance Du darfst nicht rausgehen (You could not go exterior), nicht is positioned earlier than the infinitive rausgehen (to exit) and after the conjugated modal verb durfen.

When auxiliary verbs are used

In excellent tenses the place auxiliary verbs like haben (to have) and sein (to be) are used, nicht ought to be positioned proper in entrance of the previous participle of the sentence. The previous participle is simple to identify as a result of it is going to sometimes begin with ge- and finish in -en or -t—it’s only a previous tense model of the verb. For instance, within the sentence Ich habe nicht geschwommen (I’ve not been swimming), nicht is discovered simply earlier than the previous participle geschwommen (swam).

When to make use of kein to negate in German

Select the phrase kein (not any) solely once you wish to negate sure nouns. These nouns that require kein for negation will

• don’t have any article
  • Nein danke. Ich brauche kein Pflaster. = No thanks. I don’t want a bandage.
    
• use kein as an indefinite article
  • Trag heute keine kurze Hose! = Don’t put on shorts in the present day!
    
• say one thing doesn’t exist
  • Nein. Wir haben keinen Durst. = No. We’re not thirsty. (actually, now we have no thirst.)
    
• check with having “none” or “not any” of one thing
  • Kein Ball ist rot. = Not one of the balls are crimson. (actually, no ball is crimson.)
    

Since kein is barely used to negate some nouns, you’ll be able to contemplate it as an possibility if a noun is being negated. In any other case, if the factor being negated is another a part of speech, like an adverb or adjective, you don’t want to fret about analyzing the context or utilizing kein. In these circumstances, nicht is the best verb.

Ideas for forming a sentence with kein

To negate a sentence with kein (not any), you’ll merely want to position the phrase kein instantly in entrance of the noun you’re desirous to negate. Whereas the position within the sentence is a simple factor to grasp for the phrase kein, you’ll even have to regulate the ending of kein so as to make it agree with the noun you’re negating when it comes to German case, grammatical gender in German, and quantity. That is known as “declension” and is a crucial ability to grasp inside German grammar.

See learn how to decline kein in any state of affairs with the helpful desk under:

Listed below are a number of sensible sentence examples exhibiting the declension of kein in every of the German circumstances:

• Ich bin kein Lehrer. = I’m not a instructor. (nominative)
  
• Die Männer haben keinen Reis. = The boys do not need any rice. (accusative)
  
• Sie hilft keinem Nachbarn, der unfreundlich ist. = She doesn’t assist any neighbor who’s unfriendly. (dative)
• Die Unterstützung keiner Studentin struggle sichtbar. = The help of no pupil was seen. (genitive)

Alternatively, when there isn’t a noun in sight, kein can step up into this function as a pronoun corresponding to “none,” “somebody,” or “every.” On this case, kein isn’t the determiner earlier than a noun, however somewhat it acts like a noun. Which means it declines slightly otherwise to indicate case, grammatical gender, and quantity.

Check out the desk right here to see how kein declines when it’s used as a pronoun:

If you wish to see examples of what it appears to be like like when kein is used as a pronoun in a sentence, learn the sensible German phrases under:

• Keine der Tassen ist aus Papier. = Not one of the cups are paper (nominative)
• Wir haben keine gefunden. = We discovered none. (accusative)
• Ich gebe keiner die Schuld. = I blame nobody. (dative)
• Die Farbe keines passt. = The colour of none suits. (genitive)

Regularly requested questions on utilizing kein vs. nicht

German language learners are sometimes confused by the distinctions between the other ways to negate as they be taught German. Listed below are the three most incessantly requested questions and solutions about utilizing kein vs. nicht:

Is it ever appropriate to say nicht ein as a substitute of kein?

Sure, in some circumstances the place you wish to emphasize the quantity “one,” you’ll be able to say nicht ein (not one) somewhat than kein (not any). Saying nicht ein in a sentence stresses “not even one” or “not a single.” For instance, Nicht ein Mensch hat geholfen (Not a single particular person helped) emphasizes this level. Whereas it’s also possible to say Kein Mensch hat geholfen (No man helped), selecting nicht ein exhibits your individual disappointment that there wasn’t even one particular person serving to.

Do you utilize kein or nicht with prepositional phrases?

You at all times use nicht (not) to negate a prepositional phrase in German. As a result of prepositional phrases are constructed round particular articles and glued prepositions like mit (with) and auf (on), negating them means negating one thing aside from a noun, like a German verb or adjective. Since we solely use kein (not any) to negate nouns, nicht is the one grammatically appropriate strategy to negate a prepositional phrase. That is a simple trick to recollect—once you see a prepositional phrase, attain for nicht!

Are there regional variations or dialects in utilizing kein vs. nicht?

The various dialectal variants and German slang for the phrases kein (not any) and nicht (not). Relying in your definitions, there are a whole lot of dialects in Germany, sometimes damaged down by area and geographical elevation.

See the chart under to expertise the other ways German-speaking nations and areas pronounce kein and nicht: