Kein vs. Nicht: German Negation Rules
Kein or nicht? Once you know the rules, you never have to guess again. In this lesson Luzi gives you the short general rule first, then the exact rules for kein (3 rules) and nicht (5 rules), with examples for each, and a bonus tip about the cases where both words are possible.
The General Rule
Generally speaking: kein goes with nouns, and nicht goes with verbs, adjectives and adverbs. This rule is right in most cases.
- Das ist kein Tisch. (This is not a table. Tisch is a noun, so you use kein.)
- Das Bild ist nicht schön. (The picture is not beautiful. Schön is an adjective, so you use nicht.)
- Ich gehe nicht. (I do not go. Gehen is a verb, so you use nicht.)
There are a few more specific rules. There are not many, so let's go through them.
The 3 Rules for kein
You use kein (the negative article) in three situations:
| Rule | When | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noun with an indefinite article (ein Tisch) | Ist das ein Tisch? | Nein, das ist kein Tisch. |
| 2 | Noun with no article, for example the plural (Tomaten) | Sind das Tomaten? | Nein, das sind keine Tomaten. |
| 3 | Noun with an adjective between the article and the noun (ein neues Buch) | Ist das ein neues Buch? | Nein, das ist kein neues Buch. |
An adjective that stands between the article and the noun is called an attributive adjective. In ein neues Buch, the word neues stands between ein and Buch.
The endings of kein
Like ein, the negative article kein changes with the case and the gender of the noun.
| Case | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | kein | keine | kein | keine |
| Akkusativ | keinen | keine | kein | keine |
| Dativ | keinem | keiner | keinem | keinen |
| Genitiv | keines | keiner | keines | keiner |
The 5 Rules for nicht
You use nicht in five situations:
| Rule | When | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verbs | Ich verstehe das nicht. (I do not understand it. Say this to your teacher when you do not get it.) Sie geht nicht nach Hause. (She does not go home.) |
| 2 | Adjectives | Das Sofa ist nicht billig. (The couch is not cheap.) Er wohnt nicht allein. (He does not live alone.) |
| 3 | Adverbs | Lernst du nicht gern Deutsch? (Do you not like to learn German?) Wir essen morgen nicht zu Hause. (We do not eat at home tomorrow.) |
| 4 | Nouns with a definite article (der, die, das) | Das ist nicht die beste Pizza. (This is not the best pizza.) Ich sehe das Problem nicht. (I do not see the problem.) |
| 5 | Nouns with a possessive article (mein, dein, sein) | Das ist nicht mein Buch. (This is not my book.) Sind das nicht deine Stifte? (Aren't these your pens?) |
Bonus Tip: When Both Are Possible
In some cases you can use both kein and nicht. It is the same with a noun that has no article, such as languages and food. The meaning is a little different:
| Positive sentence | With kein (stronger) | With nicht (weaker) |
|---|---|---|
| Ich spreche Deutsch. | Ich spreche kein Deutsch. I do not speak any German at all. It is probably more common, and it means “do not talk to me in German”. | Ich spreche nicht Deutsch. Not really, or today I just do not want to. |
| Ich esse Fleisch. | Ich esse kein Fleisch. I do not eat meat at all, like a vegetarian or vegan. | Ich esse nicht Fleisch. Maybe today I do not feel like eating meat. It does not mean I am a vegetarian. |
Bonus Question
At the end of the video, Luzi shows a bottle of the German herbal liqueur Jägermeister and asks Trinkst du gern Jägermeister? (Do you like to drink Jägermeister?). If your answer is no, you have to negate the sentence. Do not forget that gern is an adverb, so the negative word is nicht: Nein, ich trinke nicht gern Jägermeister.
What to Learn Next
To learn exactly where nicht goes in a sentence, watch the position of nicht in German sentences and part 2 with more examples. For the possessive articles in the nicht rules, see mein, dein, sein: German possessives. The plural of nouns is explained in German plural rules made simple, and the cases behind the table of kein in what is the Akkusativ.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do you use kein in German?
Use kein with nouns that have an indefinite article (ein Tisch), with nouns that have no article (such as the plural Tomaten), and with nouns that have an adjective between the article and the noun (ein neues Buch).
When do you use nicht in German?
Use nicht to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, nouns with a definite article (der, die, das) and nouns with a possessive article (mein, dein, sein).
What is the general rule for kein and nicht?
Kein comes with nouns, nicht comes with verbs, adjectives and adverbs. This simple rule is right in most cases.
What is the difference between “Ich spreche kein Deutsch” and “Ich spreche nicht Deutsch”?
Both are possible. Kein is stronger: I do not speak any German at all. Nicht is weaker and sounds more like “not really” or “not today”.
Why is “Ich esse kein Fleisch” different from “Ich esse nicht Fleisch”?
Ich esse kein Fleisch means you do not eat meat at all, like a vegetarian. Ich esse nicht Fleisch sounds like you do not want any right now.
Negation is just one of many small rules that make German feel easier once you see the system. In our A1 German online course we show you the system chapter by chapter, with videos, worksheets and answers to your questions.
