Ich bin nicht beschäftigt.
English: I am not busy.
- Language
- German
- Level
- A0
- Unit
- Einfache Verneinungen und Fragen
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Basic negatives are built with 'nicht' or 'kein' and helper verbs in German.
When to use it
Use negatives to say no, deny information, or describe absence.
Key forms
- sein/haben + nicht
- Verb + nicht
- kein/keine (for nouns)
Examples
Sie fährt nicht.
English: She does not drive.
Sie sind nicht in der Schule.
English: They are not at school.
Wir verstehen nicht.
English: We do not understand.
Tips
- Place 'nicht' after the verb or at the end of the sentence.
- Use contractions in spoken German: ist nicht -> isn't (rare, informal).
- Do not add endings to the main verb after 'nicht'.
Exceptions and edge cases
- With 'sein', no extra helper is needed: Sie ist nicht..., not Sie tut nicht sein....
Word of the Day
Today's hand-picked vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation page for German. Bookmark this section — it refreshes every day.
Get one new word every morning
Subscribe to SmartWords daily picks. Choose the topics you want — we send one short email per day.
Keep exploring
Play SmartWords games
Six word games built around our real vocabulary — free in the browser, no install.
Open the game hub →-
Word Sling
Match the center word under time pressure and keep the combo alive.
Play now → -
Word Gate
Fly through the correct gate before the speed ramps up.
Play now → -
Word Ninja
Slice the goal-language words, avoid the main-language decoy, and chase the announced bonus target.
Play now → -
Word Zip
Trace a single path across the board, hit each letter anchor in order, and fill every open cell.
Play now → -
Word Oddity
Pick the word that doesn't belong from a topic-driven set — every tap reveals all four meanings and images so the round becomes a flash-card too.
Play now → -
Word Memory
Flip and match goal-language words to their main-language meaning before your lives run out.
Play now →