Using kein in German

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Using kein

Reminder: we use kein (no, none) to make a noun negative.

Wir haben keine Zeit. (die Zeit)

We have no time.

We can also use kein- in place of a noun.

Keiner will uns helfen.

No one wants to help us.

-Möchtest du eine Banane? -Nein, ich möchte keine.

-Would you like a banana? -No, I don't want one.

We add the following endings to kein- when it is used on its own:

Nominativ Nominativ Akkusativ Akkusativ Dativ Dativ
maskulin keiner hat Zeit wir sehen keinen sie helfen keinem 
feminin keine keine keiner
neutrum kein(e)s kein(e)s keinem
Plural keine keine keinen

Notes: 

  • Keines is slightly more formal than keins.

-Gibt es noch Brot? -Nein, es gibt keins/keines mehr.

-Is there any bread left? -No, there is no more.

  • We can use niemand (nobody) instead of keiner (no one) in the nominative case.

Keiner/niemand hat Lust auf Sauerkraut.

No one/nobody is in the mood for sauerkraut.

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