nein
/naɪ̯n/standard
The English word "no" is translated into German as nein. Wiktionary also lists nee and nö.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nein | /naɪ̯n/ | standard |
| nee | /neː/ | colloquial |
| nö | [nøː] (narrow) | colloquial |
The word is a particle used to show disagreement or negation.
Which one should you use?
English speakers often mistakenly use nein when they should use the determiner kein to mean "no" or "none" in the sense of "not a/any".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard form is nein. For casual conversation, you can use the colloquial shortening nee. For a very informal, almost blunt way to say "no", similar to the English "nope", you can use nö.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a noun meaning "the word no" or "a refusal", the word is capitalized as Nein.
How do you pronounce it?
/naɪ̯n/
Did you know?
- In German, you cannot simply say nein to answer a negative question. If someone asks Do you not like it?, you must use doch to say 'yes' if you actually do.
- The German nein and English 'no' are distant cousins. Both began as combinations of a negation word and the number one, such as the Old High German ni ein and Old English ne ān.
- Depending on the region, nö can sound like a question or a whine due to the rounding of the vowel. While it means 'no', the tone can convey a sense of reluctant agreement or stubbornness.
Examples in context
- Ist das ein nein?Is that a no?Tatoeba #6625738 by Felixjp, translation #2549769 by CK
- O nein, nicht der!Oh no, it's him!Tatoeba #4405067 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4381905 by Hybrid
- Ich sage nie nein.I don't ever say no.Tatoeba #11824569 by Naina, translation #3822019 by CK
- Entschuldigen Sie, aber ich bin leider nicht interessiert.Excuse me, but I'm not interested, unfortunately.
- Vielen Dank für Ihr Angebot, aber ich muss höflich ablehnen.Thank you very much for your offer, but I have to politely decline.
- Ich bedauere, aber das passt mir nicht in den Zeitplan.I'm sorry, but that doesn't fit into my schedule.
- Leider muss ich ablehnen, da ich bereits andere Verpflichtungen habe.Unfortunately, I have to decline as I already have other commitments.
- Nein, danke.No, thank you.
- Tut mir leid, aber das passt mir gerade nicht.I'm sorry, but that doesn't work for me right now.
- Ich habe keine Lust dazu.I don't feel like it.
- Nö, das ist nicht mein Ding.Nah, that's not my thing.
- 1113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, Sarah asks Felix if he wants dessert.
- SarahMöchtest du einen Kuchen, Felix?Would you like a cake, Felix?
- FelixNein, ich bin schon satt.No, I am already full.
- SarahMöchtest du vielleicht ein Wasser?Would you perhaps like a water?
- FelixNein, danke, Sarah.No, thank you, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries nein, nee, nö, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nee, nein, nö, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
