12 Useful Ways to Say No in German That Aren’t Nein

You may already know the meaning of nein – or the classic way to say no in German. While knowing this one word is a useful way to answer many questions, it won’t be enough to communicate everything you want to say.

What if you want to decline something politely? Or if you want to be very firm with someone? Depending on the situation, you’ll want to express yourself differently.

We’ll go over every type of no situation you might encounter, including the standard German no, polite ways to say no, saying no when you are hesitant, and saying no emphatically. We’ll also break down the sometimes confusing concept of doch.

Read next: Negation in German – Difference Between Nein, Nicht and Kein

No in German at a Glance

Simple No in German

If you want to simply say no you have different options, from the classic “nein” to the more informal “ne” or “nö”.

Nein

“ Nein ” is the most commonly used word to say “no” in German. It can initiate a negative sentence (which we’ll discuss later), but also stand on its own or answer a simple yes or no question. 

Ne

“ Ne ” is used in the North of Germany and among a younger demographic in Germany. It’s a rather informal way of saying “no” in German.

Nö

“ Nö ” is the most informal way of saying “no” in German.

It is most commonly used among young German speakers and is a carefree way of saying “no”.

Read next: 105 Basic German Words – Best Vocab List for Beginners

Using No in a Negative Sentence

As we briefly alluded to in the section about nein, a negative sentence in German contains somewhat of a double negation.

While you start your sentence with “nein”, the complete negation happens when you add “nicht” (for verbs) and “kein” (for objects). Check out the following examples. 

Do you see the difference? Use “kein” to negate an object, and “nicht” for a verb.

No to Decline Something Politely

If you are looking for ways to kindly decline something or want to express your regret about something, there are two main ways to go about saying this.

Nein danke

You might have guessed it on your own – “ nein danke ” means “no thank you” in German. It is most often used to decline something that was offered to you.

Leider

“ Leider ” can be translated to “unfortunately” and you can also use it to politely decline plans and offers or to express your regret over something.

Read next: Leider Geil (Unfortunately Awesome) — Lyrics and Translation

Hesitant No in German

Sometimes you can’t really answer a question with a simple “yes” or “no”. Sometimes it’s something in the middle and other times you’re just not sure. If you are looking for ways to express your more ambivalent feelings try the alternatives below. 

Jein

Can you guess what “ jein ” means? It’s a funny combination of “ja” and “nein” and means “yes” and “no” at the same time.

It is often used as a little joke and an explanation usually follows. Check out the following examples and discover more:

Ich glaube nicht

If you are unsure you can also use “ ich glaube nicht ” to say “I don’t think so” and express your uncertainty. 

Emphatic No in German

Do you feel strongly about something and want to convey that feeling? Try adding a quantifying adverb such as gar, überhaupt oder absolut in front of your “nicht”.

Gar nicht

“ Gar nicht ” means “not at all” and quantifies how much you don’t want to do something or don’t like something. “Gar” can also go with “kein”.

Überhaupt nicht

“ Überhaupt nicht ” is another fun way of saying “not at all”. Just like “gar kein” you can also “überhaupt” together with kein. 

Absolut nicht

You guessed it – “ absolut nicht ” means “absolutely not”. You can also use it in the context of objects and turn it into “absolut kein”. 

Auf gar keinen Fall

“ Auf gar keinen Fall ” is a frequently used expression that translates to “under no circumstances”.

Using Doch to Say No in German

“ Doch ” is a commonly used word in German but it is often misunderstood by German learners because there is no direct translation for “doch” in English. You use it when you counter a negative statement and it is used similarly to the words “actually” or “after all” in English. Check out the examples below to learn “doch” in context. 

We actually wrote a whole post on how to use doch if you want to learn more.

Conclusion

Whether it’s an unsure “jein” or a firmly convinced “auf gar keinen Fall”, your new vocabulary will surely bring some variety into your language skills.

Listen closely to how German speakers use these new expressions in context and don’t be afraid to make a mistake every now and then.