German grammar: Negation mit nicht

What this grammar point covers

Negation with 'nicht' is how you make a sentence negative in German. It is used to say that something is not true or does not happen.

When to use it

Use 'nicht' to negate verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or the whole sentence in German. Use it when you want to say that something is not happening, not true, or not a certain way.

Key forms

• 'nicht' usually comes before adjectives, adverbs, or at the end of the sentence.
• Ich bin nicht müde.
• Er arbeitet nicht schnell.
• Wir gehen heute nicht.

Examples

Tips

• Place 'nicht' just before the word you want to negate, or at the end for the whole sentence.
• Do not use 'nicht' with nouns that have no article. Use 'kein/keine/kein' instead.
• Remember: 'nicht' does NOT come before the verb in German statements.

Exceptions and edge cases

• If you want to say 'not a/an', use 'kein/keine/kein' instead of 'nicht'.
• 'Nicht' usually comes at the end of the sentence, but before separable verb prefixes and infinitives.