Negation in German

Part of GermanWord order

Key points about negation

Bullet points represented by lightbulbs

  • Sentences can be made negative in German by using nicht not, nie never and nichts nothing.

  • There are specific rules about where to place these words in a sentence.

Back to top

Check your understanding

Back to top

Using nicht in German

The word nicht not is used to make a sentence negative.

There are some key rules about where to place nicht in a sentence. nicht is always used before:

:

  • - I am not shy.

  • - The weather is not good.

:

  • - I don’t live in a town.

  • - I don’t come from Stuttgart.

:

  • - He doesn’t play tennis well.

  • - We don’t run fast.

Typing activity

Back to top

Using nicht with verbs

To make a simple sentence negative, put nicht at the end of the sentence:

- I drink coffee.
- I don’t drink coffee.

- I like table tennis.
- I don’t like table tennis.

- I understand German.
- I don’t understand German!

This also applies to :

  • - He doesn't shave.

  • - I don’t wash.

If a sentence contains more than one verb (eg a + or an + a ) nicht goes before the infinitive or past participle at the end of the sentence.

  • - I can’t swim.

  • - I don’t want to come.

  • - I haven’t done my homework.

  • - He hasn’t read the book.

Piece of paper with the word remember written on it

Remember:

If there is more detail in the sentence, the rule that nicht always goes before an adjective, preposition or adverb applies.

For example, in this sentence nach is a preposition so nicht must be placed before it.

Ich bin nicht nach Deutschland gefahren.
I didn’t travel to Germany

Mini quiz

Make the sentences negative.

  1. I can find my trainers.

  1. I worked in a restaurant.

  1. We will order sausage and chips.

  1. I bathe at the weekend.

Back to top

Using nie and nichts

nie never is an . It is used to show that an action never happens and goes after the verb:

  • - I never eat meat.

  • - I never travel by bus.

  • - The student never does his homework.

nichts nothing is an and is used to show the absence of something:

  • - I see nothing.

  • - I eat nothing for breakfast.

  • - I drank nothing.

Piece of paper with the word remember written on it

                           

Remember:

Do not confuse nicht not with nichts nothing.

  • Ich esse nicht → I don’t eat.
  • Ich esse nichts. → I eat nothing.

Mini quiz

Translate the sentences into German

A pen and a piece of paper with question marks on it.
  1. I never go to the cinema.

  1. My sister bought nothing.

Back to top

Using sondern

sondern is a which means but or rather/instead. It is used to contradict or negate the first part of a sentence.

sondern does not affect word order.

For example:

  • - The dress is not expensive, but (it is) cheap.

  • - My brother not only plays football, but also badminton.

  • - I am not flying to Germany, but (I am flying to) Austria.

The words in brackets can be left out:

  • - The dress is not expensive, but cheap.

Mini quiz

Translate the following sentences into German

A pen and a piece of paper with question marks on it.
  1. I am not learning Spanish, but German.

  1. My cat is not only funny, but also intelligent.

  1. We don’t travel by car, but instead we cycle.

Back to top

Quiz

Take this quiz on negation to check your understanding.

Back to top

More on Word order

Find out more by working through a topic