What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of 'that interests no one'.
Which one should you use?
While das interessiert niemanden describes a general lack of interest from the public, if you want to say that you personally do not care, it is more common to use Das ist mir egal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Es interessiert keinen. is an informal way to say 'No one cares.', whereas Es juckt keinen. is an informal way to say 'No one gives a damn.' Additionally, Schön, dass es euch alle so interessiert. can be used in an informal, sarcastic way to mean 'Glad to see you're all so interested.'
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase das interessiert niemanden, the word niemanden is the accusative form of niemand because the verb interessieren requires a direct object in the accusative case.
Did you know?
- While the standard phrase is das interessiert niemanden, you can use the more colorful Es juckt keinen to mean 'no one gives a damn'. It literally translates to 'it doesn't itch anyone', implying the topic is so uninteresting it doesn't even cause a physical sensation.
- The word das in this phrase shares the same Proto-Germanic root, *þat, as the English word 'that'. This makes the first word of the German phrase a very distant linguistic cousin to the English word it is often paired with.
- In spoken German, Es interessiert keinen is frequently used instead of niemanden, as keinen functions as a shorter, more colloquial negative pronoun.
Examples in context
- Das interessiert niemanden hier.No one here cares about that.
- Ehrlich gesagt, das interessiert niemanden.To be honest, no one cares about that.
- Das interessiert niemanden mehr.No one cares about that anymore.
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are discussing a trivial celebrity news story.
- FelixHast du die neuesten Gerüchte gehört?Did you hear the latest rumors?
- HannahNein, und das interessiert niemanden.No, and no one cares about that.
- FelixVielleicht hast du recht, Hannah.Maybe you are right, Hannah.
- HannahEs ist einfach nur Zeitverschwendung.It is just a waste of time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries das, CC BY-SA 4.0.
