vertraue niemandem
To say 'trust nobody' in German, you use vertraue niemandem.
This phrase is an imperative used to warn someone not to place their confidence or faith in any person.
What does it mean word for word?
The word niemandem is the dative form of niemand, which means 'nobody' or 'no one'.
Which one should you use?
While Vertraue niemandem is a direct command, the alternative Vertrau' keinem (trust no one) is also common and carries the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the dative case because the verb 'vertrauen' (to trust) requires a dative object. If you are addressing a group of people informally, you must use the plural imperative vertraut niemandem. The formal imperative version uses the verb vertrauen followed by the pronoun Sie.
Did you know?
- A popular pragmatic motto in Germany is Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser, which translates to 'Trust is good, control is better'.
- The verb vertrauen is closely linked to treu, which means 'faithful' or 'loyal'. In German, trusting someone is linguistically tied to the concept of loyalty.
- Using the dative case in vertraue niemandem mirrors the grammar used for giving a gift. This suggests that trust is something 'given' to another person.
Examples in context
- Vertraue niemandem.Trust nobody.This sentence is useful for demonstrating the phrase vertraue niemandem.Tatoeba #12337502 by Adelpa, translation #12337392 by morbrorper
- Vertraue niemandem in dieser Stadt.Trust nobody in this city.
- In diesem Film soll man niemandem vertrauen, also vertraue niemandem.In this movie you shouldn't trust anyone, so trust nobody.
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are discussing a suspenseful thriller movie they just watched.
- JulianDie Geschichte war sehr düster.The story was very dark.
- SarahJa, die Hauptfigur sagte: Vertraue niemandem!Yes, the main character said: Trust nobody!
- JulianDas war eine gute Warnung für ihn.That was a good warning for him.
- SarahAbsolut, er war sehr vorsichtig.Absolutely, he was very cautious.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
