nicht
See also: nicht-
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch nichte, from Old Dutch *nift, from Proto-Germanic *niftiz.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪxt
- IPA(key): /nɪxt/
audio (file)
Noun
nicht f (plural nichten, diminutive nichtje n)
- female cousin; daughter of someone's uncle or aunt
- niece; daughter of someone's brother or sister
- niece; daughter of someone's brother- or sister-in-law
- (derogatory) male homosexual, a gay man
German
Alternative forms
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)
audio (file) - Rhymes: -ɪçt, -ɪç
Adverb
nicht
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?
- (tag question, dated or formal) right?; is it?; is it not?
- Du bist sicher die Claudia, nicht?
- You must be Claudia, aren't you?
- Du bist sicher die Claudia, nicht?
Scots
Etymology
From Old English niht.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɪçt/
Noun
nicht (plural nichts)
- night, evening
- c. 1495, William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo:
- Apon the Midsummer evin, mirriest of nichtis, / I muvit furth allane [...].
- c. 1495, William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo:
- (definite singular) tonight
- It's a braw, bricht, moonlit nicht the nicht. It's a beautiful, bright moonlit night tonight.
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