leider nicht
/ˈlaɪ̯dɐ nɪçt/word by word
The German phrase for "unfortunately not" is leider nicht.
leider nicht is commonly used as a standalone response to a yes/no question when the answer is negative and the speaker feels regret about it.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of leider (unfortunately) and nicht (not).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, you may encounter the phrase bedauerlicherwiis nöd for "unfortunately not" or es tut mir leid, aber nö for "I'm sorry, but no".
Did you know?
- The word nicht literally began as 'no thing' or 'no creature' in Old High German, combining nio meaning 'never' and wiht meaning 'being'.
- In high-stress professional environments, Germans may shorten the sentiment to just leider, letting the negative context of the question imply the nicht.
- While leider nicht is common, Germans may use the phrase leider nein in specific contexts to provide a more definitive, hard 'no' while still remaining polite.
Examples in context
- Das ist doppelt so teuer, aber leider nicht doppelt so gut.That's twice as expensive, but unfortunately not twice as good.This sentence shows how to use leider nicht when discussing cost and quality.Tatoeba #14053526 by mhr, translation #14053544 by araneo
- Er hat sich sehr verändert, und das leider nicht zum Besseren.He's changed a lot, unfortunately not for the better.This sentence uses leider nicht to describe a change that was not for the better.Tatoeba #7645716 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10520332 by sundown
- Die Menschen fürchten den Krieg. Leider nicht alle. Einige betreiben ihn. Und nicht nur die da oben.People fear war. Unfortunately not all of them. Some promote it. Not only the high-ups.This sentence demonstrates how leider nicht can be used to express regret about a group of people.Tatoeba #3409739 by Hans07, translation #3410079 by Plusquamperfekt
- Person A: Entschuldigen Sie bitte, kann ich Ihr Auto heute ausleihen? Person B: Leider nicht.Person A: Excuse me, can I borrow your car today? Person B: Unfortunately not.
- Person A: Hast du Lust, heute ins Kino zu gehen? Person B: Nee, leider nicht.Person A: Do you want to go to the movies today? Person B: No, unfortunately not.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are talking about a concert in the evening.
- LukasKommst du heute Abend mit ins Konzert?Are you coming to the concert tonight?
- SarahLeider nicht, ich muss arbeiten.Unfortunately not, I have to work.
- LukasDas ist schade, Sarah.That is a pity, Sarah.
- SarahJa, das ist wirklich schade.Yes, it really is a pity.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (leider, nicht) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leider, nicht, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
