German Grammar
Saying “not” in German comes down to two little words — nicht and kein. Learn one simple test and you will pick the right one every time.
Key takeaways
- Use kein to negate a noun with ein or with no article at all (Ich habe kein Auto).
- Use nicht for everything else — verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns with a definite article or possessive.
- kein declines exactly like ein (kein, keine, keinen, keinem…).
- nicht usually sits near the end, but goes directly before the specific word it negates.
- The one-second test: could you say “a / any / no” in English? → kein. Otherwise → nicht.
Two words for saying “not”
English gets by with one main negative word: not. German splits the job between two — nicht and kein — and choosing correctly is one of the first things that makes you sound fluent. The good news: a single quick test tells you which to use almost every time.
When to use kein
Use kein to negate a noun that has either the indefinite article ein or no article at all (plurals and uncountable nouns). Think of kein as “not a / no / not any”:
kein takes the same endings as ein (and the possessives), so if you know those, you already know this:
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | kein | keine | kein | keine |
| Accusative | keinen | keine | kein | keine |
| Dative | keinem | keiner | keinem | keinen |
When to use nicht
Use nicht for everything else — verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and even nouns when they carry a definite article (der/die/das) or a possessive (mein, dein…):
Where does nicht go?
Position trips people up, but there are two clear cases:
- To negate the whole sentence, nicht goes towards the end — but before a second verb part, a predicate adjective, or a prepositional phrase: „Ich gehe heute nicht ins Kino.“
- To negate one specific word, put nicht directly in front of it: „Ich fahre nicht heute, sondern morgen.“ (Not today, but tomorrow.)
nicht, kein… and nein
One more word to keep separate: nein. That is simply the answer “no” to a question. nicht and kein negate parts of a sentence; nein stands alone:
The mistakes almost everyone makes
- Using nicht with an indefinite noun: it is „Ich habe kein Auto“, never „Ich habe nicht ein Auto.“
- Using kein with a definite article: „Ich kenne den Mann nicht“ — definite article means nicht.
- Forgetting to decline kein: it changes like ein — „Ich trinke keinen Kaffee“ (accusative), not „kein Kaffee.“
How to master German negation
Drill the one-second test until it is automatic: indefinite or no article → kein; everything else → nicht. Because kein declines exactly like ein, a little time with our der, die, das guide and the case system pays off directly here. Then put it to work in the German quizzes or see where you stand with the free German level test.
Grammar sticks fastest when you actually use it. Practise with a friendly native tutor on italki and these rules turn into instinct.
Practise with a tutor on italki →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between nicht and kein?
Kein negates nouns that have the indefinite article ein or no article at all (Ich habe kein Auto — I have no car). Nicht negates everything else: verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns that carry a definite article or possessive (Ich kenne den Mann nicht — I don’t know the man).
When do I use kein in German?
Use kein whenever you would say “not a,” “no” or “not any” before a noun in English — that is, when the noun has ein or no article. It declines like ein: kein, keine, keinen, keinem, and so on.
Where does nicht go in a German sentence?
To negate the whole sentence, nicht goes towards the end, but before a second verb part, a predicate adjective or a prepositional phrase. To negate one specific word, nicht goes directly in front of that word.
What is the difference between nein, nicht and kein?
Nein is the stand-alone answer “no” to a question. Nicht and kein are used inside sentences to negate a verb, adjective or noun. For example: „Nein, ich trinke keinen Kaffee“ — No, I don’t drink coffee.