- Do you know when to use "nicht" and when to use "kein"?
If not, after this video, you will.
So, let's go!
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- Hello and welcome to Coffee Break German,
I'm Mark.
- And I'm Andrea.
- Now, it's my job to be the learner here.
I'm the learner in Coffee Break German,
and Andrea is our resident German language expert
answering your questions and answering questions
like this one from our listener Ewan.
So Ewan wanted to know when do you use "nicht"
and when do you use "kein"?
Now, it is a tricky question, Andrea.
I have to admit, I find this difficult too.
- Yes, indeed.
It is a bit tricky, but I have some rules for you to follow,
and that will hopefully make it a bit easier.
Great. So, let's go!
Exactly.
So we use "nicht" when we negate, for example, a verb.
- Okay. - Yeah.
I have an example for you.
"Ich tanze nicht".
- "Ich tanze nicht".
So "I don't dance".
- Exactly, yeah.
- And then we can also negate an adjective.
- An adjective, okay.
- For example, "er ist nicht groß".
- "Er ist nicht groß". So "he is not tall".
- Exactly, yes, that's right.
And we can negate an adverb,
For example, "das schmeckt nicht gut"
- Okay, "das schmeckt nicht gut".
So "that doesn't taste good".
So we've got "ich tanze nicht". "Er ist nicht groß".
And "das schmeckt nicht gut".
So, in each case, "nicht" is being used
to negate the verb, the adjective or the adverb.
- Exactly, that's right.
- So what about "kein"?
- So "kein" means... it connects with a noun.
Yeah?
- Yeah, okay.
- So, for example, "das ist kein Buch, das ist ein Heft".
- Okay, so, "das ist kein Buch, das ist ein Heft".
- Exactly.
- So, "that's not a book, it is an exercise book",
"a jotter", as we would say in Scotland.
- Exactly, yes, that's right. "A jotter".
So, and you've said it, Mark.
So "das ist kein..." means "this is not a...", yeah?
- So "kein" means "not a..." or "not any".
- Yep.
- Okay, or "none".
- "None". Okay. So slightly different from "nicht",
which just really means "not".
It's the negator.
- Exactly, that's right.
- So "kein": "not a"; "not any" and "none".
But there is something else we need to think about
"kein" and that's the fact
that it will change depending
on what it is we're talking about.
- Exactly, so "kein" basically behaves like "ein".
Yeah. So, when we use it here,
we've used it in the nominative: "das ist kein Buch".
But if it were something else:
"das ist keine Banane",
"das ist eine Orange".
Yes, then it would obviously change.
So it changes like "ein", yeah.
And obviously if we use it in an accusative, with "haben",
for example, then the changes are the ones that we know
from the changes with "ein".
- Okay. - For example...
"Ich habe kein Brot".
- So "kein Brot".
- Yes, "das Brot".
- And, if we use something masculine,
- "ich habe keinen Schlüssel".
- So it is "der Schlüssel".
- Mmm hmmm.
- But here, because we are using the accusative form,
then we need to make "keinen" from "kein".
- Exactly.
- So "keinen Schlüssel" there,
"ich habe kein Brot", "keinen Schlüssel".
What about a feminine one?
- Exactly, so, for example, "ich habe keine Lust".
"I don't want to", "ich habe keine Lust".
"I have no interest in doing something".
Yeah?
- Okay.
- Okay. "ich habe keine Lust", or
"ich habe...", for plural, "ich habe keine Bananen".
So here, we've got a "das" word: "das Brot",
and it stays as "kein".
When it's a "der" word, a masculine word,
"keinen" Schlüssel.
- Exactly.
- A feminine word, "keine Lust".
- Exactly.
- And plural, "keine Bananen".
- Exactly, great, yeah. Very good.
- Anything else we need to think about?
- Yeah. So if we...
we can make this very visible,
I think for learners, when we look at "Brot" again
and we look at "ich habe kein Brot".
- Right.
- So "I don't have any bread", and we compare it
with "ich habe nicht viel Brot".
Oh, right okay, so "ich habe kein Brot",
just as we saw earlier.
But "ich habe nicht viel Brot".
- Exactly. So the "kein" really says "not any".
"I don't have any bread". Yeah?
And "nicht viel" only negates...
the "nicht" only negates the "viel".
So you still have bread, but you don't have much.
- Right. So that "nicht" there is because we're
negating that "viel".
- Exactly.
- Whereas "kein" here, is just negating the "Brot".
- Exactly.
- As I said, pretty tricky stuff.
But I think that makes it a lot clearer.
So, hopefully, that has made things clearer for Ewan.
And if you have a question, like Ewan, then simply
get in touch with us!
All you need to do
is go to coffeebreakquestions.com
and you can fill in the form there, leave us your question,
and we'll hopefully be able to include your question
in a future episode of the show.
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if you've now learned how to use "kein" and "nicht"
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- Exactly, and if you have any questions
or want to practise your German,
just post something in the comment section for us.
- Great. So, no problem, isn't that right?
- Exactly, that's it. Very good. Well done, Mark!
- Okay. We'll be back soon with another episode
but, until then, thank you very much, and goodbye!
- See you soon!
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