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Negation (nicht & kein)
The two ways to say "not" — and where to put them.
nicht or kein?
German has two main negation words, and choosing between them is the first thing to get right:
kein negates a noun that has ein/eine or no article. It means "no / not a / not any."
nicht negates everything else — verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns that have a definite article (der/die/das) or a possessive.
Quick test: could you answer with "a / any …"? Then use kein. Otherwise nicht.
kein negates a noun that has ein/eine or no article. It means "no / not a / not any."
nicht negates everything else — verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns that have a definite article (der/die/das) or a possessive.
Quick test: could you answer with "a / any …"? Then use kein. Otherwise nicht.
Ich habe kein Auto.
I have no car / I don't have a car.
kein — the noun "Auto" would otherwise take "ein". kein Auto = not a car.
Ich trinke keinen Kaffee.
I don't drink (any) coffee.
keinen — kein declines like ein: maskulin Akkusativ ein → keinen.
Das ist nicht mein Auto.
That is not my car.
nicht — because "mein Auto" has a possessive; you cannot use "kein" here.
How kein declines
kein takes the exact same endings as ein — plus it has a plural form (ein has none).
| Maskulin | Feminin | Neutrum | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | kein Mann | keine Frau | kein Kind | keine Kinder |
| Akkusativ | keinen Mann | keine Frau | kein Kind | keine Kinder |
| Dativ | keinem Mann | keiner Frau | keinem Kind | keinen Kindern |
Where does nicht go?
nicht usually comes after the conjugated verb and its objects, but there are two reliable rules:
1. To negate the whole sentence, nicht goes near the end — but before a second verb part, a separable prefix, or a predicate adjective/place.
2. To negate one specific word, nicht goes directly before it.
1. To negate the whole sentence, nicht goes near the end — but before a second verb part, a separable prefix, or a predicate adjective/place.
2. To negate one specific word, nicht goes directly before it.
Ich kenne den Mann nicht.
I don't know the man.
Whole-sentence negation: nicht comes at the end, after the object "den Mann" (definite article, so not "kein").
Der Kaffee ist nicht heiß.
The coffee is not hot.
nicht comes before the predicate adjective "heiß".
Er kommt heute nicht mit.
He isn't coming along today.
nicht comes before the separable prefix "mit" (mitkommen).
Nicht ich habe das gesagt, sondern er.
It wasn't me who said that, but him.
Word-negation: nicht sits directly before the word it contradicts ("ich").
Negation in one line
Use kein for nouns with ein or no article (kein Auto); it declines like ein.
Use nicht for everything else. For whole-sentence negation, nicht goes late — but before an adjective, a place, or a separable prefix. To negate one word, put nicht right before it.
Related
- Nominativ — where kein is introduced
- Akkusativ — keinen in the accusative
- es gibt — "es gibt kein(en)..." — negating existence
- Conjunctions — sondern always follows a kein/nicht negation