nicht

See also: nicht-

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch nichte, from Old Dutch *nift, from Proto-Germanic *niftiz.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɪxt
  • IPA(key): /nɪxt/
  • (file)

Noun

nicht f (plural nichten, diminutive nichtje n)

  1. female cousin; daughter of someone's uncle or aunt
  2. niece; daughter of someone's brother or sister
  3. niece; daughter of someone's brother- or sister-in-law
  4. (derogatory) male homosexual, a gay man

Alternative forms

  • nift (obsolete, Holland)
  • nifte (obsolete, Holland)

Derived terms


German

Alternative forms

  • nich, nich' (informal writing, reflecting the common pronunciation)
  • net, nit (colloquial; in central Germany, southern Germany, Austria)

Etymology

From Middle High German niwiht, niweht, niht, a contracted form of Old High German niowiht, from nio (never) + wiht (being, creature).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɪçt/
    • IPA(key): [nɪçt] (predominant)
    • IPA(key): [niçt] (Bavaria; parts of Austria; Ruhrgebiet)
    • IPA(key): [nɪxt], [nixt], [-χt] (Switzerland; parts of Austria)
    • IPA(key): [nɪɕt], [nəɕt], [-ʃt] (parts of central Germany)
  • IPA(key): /nɪç/ (common speech; quasi-standard in northern and central Germany; alternations as above)
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪçt, -ɪç

Adverb

nicht

  1. not, non- (negates the meaning of a verb, adjective, or adverb)
    Bitte nicht stören!
    Please do not disturb!
    Das ist nicht wahr.
    That is not true.

Usage notes

  • The adverb nicht cannot freely be used in combination with indefinite nouns. Instead the negative adjective kein (no) is used.
Äpfel hat er nicht mitgebracht.He hasn't brought apples.
Es kam heraus, dass er nicht einen Hahn sondern ein Huhn gekauft hatte.It turned out that he hadn't bought a rooster but a hen.
Ich sehe keine andere Möglichkeit.I don't see any other possibility. (literally, “I see no other possibility.”)
Er hat keine Äpfel mitgebracht.He hasn't brought any apples with him. (literally, “He has brought no apples with him.”)

Derived terms

Interjection

nicht?

  1. (tag question, dated or formal) right?; is it?; is it not?
    Du bist sicher die Claudia, nicht?
    You must be Claudia, aren't you?

Synonyms


Kashubian

Pronoun

nicht

  1. nobody, no one

Scots

Etymology

From Old English niht.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɪçt/

Noun

nicht (plural nichts)

  1. night, evening
    • c. 1495, William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo:
      Apon the Midsummer evin, mirriest of nichtis, / I muvit furth allane [...].
  2. (definite singular) tonight
    • It's a braw, bricht, moonlit nicht the nicht. It's a beautiful, bright moonlit night tonight.

Derived terms


West Frisian

Noun

nicht c (plural nichten)

  1. cousin (female)

Coordinate terms

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