Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between kein and nicht. Use kein to negate nouns (meaning 'no' or 'none'), but use nicht to negate verbs, adjectives or entire sentences.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some southern regions of Germany and Austria, the word nix is commonly used in informal contexts to mean 'none' or 'nothing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the gender, number and grammatical case of the noun it modifies. While keine is the default form provided, other forms are used depending on the context: kein is used for masculine singular nouns in the nominative or accusative cases. keines is used for neuter singular nouns in the nominative or accusative cases. And keine is used for feminine singular nouns or any plural nouns in the nominative or accusative cases.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaɪ̯nə/
Did you know?
- The phrase keine Ahnung is the standard way to say 'I have no idea', but it is used so frequently that it often functions as a filler expression of disbelief.
- While English uses 'none' for both people and things, German speakers often use keiner specifically when referring to 'none' of a group of people.
- If you want to say 'none of them' in a way that sounds like 'zero' in a scientific or mathematical context, Germans often switch from keine to null.
Examples in context
- Er steht keinem nach.He is second to none.This sentence shows an idiomatic way to say someone is second to none.Tatoeba #4902915 by al_ex_an_der, translation #301403 by CC
- Er kennt keinen von uns.He knows none of us.This sentence demonstrates using the word to mean none of a specific group.Tatoeba #877059 by Espi, translation #866886 by avenelanna
- Keines der Kinder sitzt.None of the children are sitting.This sentence shows how to express that none of a plural subject is performing an action.Tatoeba #1401111 by samueldora, translation #456519 by lukaszpp
- Wir haben kein Brot mehr.We have no bread left.
- Ich habe keine Zeit.I have no time.
- Es gibt keinen Fehler in diesem Bericht.There is no mistake in this report.
- Es gibt keine Äpfel mehr.There are no apples left.
- Er hat keinen Bruder.He has no brother.
- Es sind keine Leute im Büro.There are no people in the office.
- Ich habe keines dieser Bücher gelesen.I have not read any of these books.
- Wir haben keines der Probleme gelöst.We have not solved any of the problems.
- Ich habe kein Fahrrad.I have no bike.
- Wir haben keine Lust.We have no desire.
- Es gibt keine Probleme.There are no problems.
- Ich habe gar kein Interesse daran.I have absolutely no interest in it.
- Das ist gar keine gute Idee.That is not a good idea at all.
- Ich habe nix verstanden.I understood none of it.
- Es gibt nix zu tun.There is nothing to do.
- 182 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Julian are checking the supplies in their kitchen.
- LauraHaben wir noch Eier?Do we have any eggs left?
- JulianNein, wir haben keine.No, we have none.
- LauraDas ist schade.That is a pity.
- JulianIch kaufe heute neue.I will buy new ones today.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry keine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
