noch nicht
/nɔx nɪçt/word by word
The English phrase "not yet" is translated into German as noch nicht.
noch nicht is used to indicate that something is not occurring at the moment, though it is expected to happen later. For example, the phrase Es ist noch nicht soweit translates to "it's not time yet," while Noch nicht so weit means "not there yet." Additionally, if you want to explain that you have not had the time to do something, you can use Bin noch nicht dazu gekommen.
Meaning: not for the moment, though expected later (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of noch, meaning "still" or "yet" and nicht, meaning "not".
Which one should you use?
While nicht alone simply expresses a negative state, noch nicht specifically implies that the situation is temporary and that the change is expected to occur in the future.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of southern Germany and Austria, Noch net is commonly used in informal speech instead of noch nicht. In certain regions of Switzerland, Noch nit is a common informal variation.
How does it change in a sentence?
In a sentence, noch nicht typically follows the conjugated verb or the subject, although its position can vary depending on which part of the sentence you wish to emphasize.
How do you pronounce it?
/nɔx nɪçt/
Did you know?
- The word nicht originally came from a phrase meaning 'no creature' or 'not a thing'.
- Using noch nicht in response to a question can sometimes imply that you are currently working on the task and just need more time.
- The word noch shares a common ancestor with the Dutch word nog, making them linguistic cousins.
Examples in context
- Tom schläft noch nicht.Tom is not yet asleep.This sentence shows how to use noch nicht to describe a current state of sleep.Tatoeba #8993612 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8993571 by CK
- Wer ist noch nicht hier?Who's not yet here?This sentence uses noch nicht to ask about someone's presence.Tatoeba #11912755 by Naina, translation #6220154 by CK
- Es steht noch nicht fest.It's not yet certain.This sentence demonstrates using noch nicht to describe something that is not yet certain.Tatoeba #5167297 by christian42, translation #9440374 by sundown
- Haben Sie den Bericht schon fertig? – Nein, der Bericht ist noch nicht fertig.Do you have the report finished yet? – No, the report is not yet finished.
- Können Sie mir bitte sofort helfen? – Leider kann ich Ihnen noch nicht helfen.Can you help me immediately, please? – Unfortunately, I cannot help you yet.
- Hast du den Artikel gelesen? – Nein, ich bin noch nicht dazu gekommen.Have you read the article? – No, I haven't had time for it yet.
- 102 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are in the kitchen waiting for water to boil.
- JuliaIst das Wasser schon heiß?Is the water hot already?
- MaximilianNein, noch nicht.No, not yet.
- JuliaWann kochen wir dann?When will we cook then?
- MaximilianIn ein paar Minuten.In a few minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not yet” translations and entries noch nicht, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (noch, nicht) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nicht, noch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
