Is it der, die oder das Nichts?
DAS
The correct article in German of Nichts is das. So it is das Nichts! (nominative case)
The word Nichts is neuter, therefore the correct article is das.
[1] In Nietzsche's "day night dream" the author uses the concept of nothing in the plural so it says: "Now - now - curved between two, a question mark, a tired riddle - a puzzle for birds —91)
Finding the right gender of a noun
German articles are used similarly to the English articles,a and the. However, they are declined differently (change) according to the number, gender and case of their nouns.
In the German language, the gender and therefore article is fixed for each noun.
The most difficult part of learning the German language is the articles (der, die, das) or rather the gender of each noun. The gender of each noun in German has no simple rule. In fact, it can even seem illogical. For example das Mädchen, a young girl is neutral while der Junge, a young boy is male.
It is a good idea to learn the correct article for each new word together - even if it means a lot of work. For example learning "der Hund" (the dog) rather than just Hund by itself. Fortunately, there are some rules about gender in German that make things a little easier. It might be even nicer if these rules didn't have exceptions - but you can't have everything! The best way to learn them is with the App - Der-Die-Das Train! (available for iOS and Android)
German nouns belong either to the gender masculine (male, standard gender) with the definite article der, to the feminine (feminine) with the definite article die, or to the neuter (neuter) with the definite article das.
for masculine: points of the compass, weather (Osten, Monsun, Sturm; however it is: das Gewitter), liquor/spirits (Wodka, Wein, Kognak), minerals, rocks (Marmor, Quarz, Granit, Diamant);
for feminine: ships and airplanes (die Deutschland, die Boeing; however it is: der Airbus), cigarette brands (Camel, Marlboro), many tree and plant species (Eiche, Pappel, Kiefer; aber: der Flieder), numbers (Eins, Million; however it is: das Dutzend), most inland rivers (Elbe, Oder, Donau; aber: der Rhein);
for neutrals: cafes, hotels, cinemas (das Mariott, das Cinemaxx), chemical elements (Helium, Arsen; however it is: der Schwefel, masculine elements have the suffix -stoff), letters, notes, languages and colors (das Orange, das A, das Englische), certain brand names for detergents and cleaning products (Ariel, Persil), continents, countries (die artikellosen: (das alte) Europa; however exceptions include: der Libanon, die Schweiz …).
German declension of Nichts?
How does the declension of Nichts work in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases? Here you can find all forms in the singular as well as in the plural:
| 1 | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Nichts | — |
| Genitive | des Nichts | — |
| Dative | dem Nichts | — |
| Akkusative | das Nichts | — |
What is the meaning of Nichts in German?
Nichts has various definitions in German:
[1] Place where nothing exists, space that is empty
[1] Ort, an dem nichts existiert, Raum, der leer ist[2] Abstract, philosophical: opposite of being
[2] abstrakt, philosophisch: Gegenteil von Sein[3] pejorative, from one person: someone without rank and view
[3] abwertend, von einer Person: jemand ohne Rang und AnsehenHow to use Nichts in a sentence?
Example sentences in German using Nichts with translations in English.
[1] Es verschwand im Nichts.
[1] It disappeared into nothing[1] Alle Vorwürfe lösten sich in einem Nichts auf.
[1] All allegations dissolved in a nothing[1] Das Auto auf der Gegenfahrbahn tauchte wie aus dem Nichts auf.
[1] The car on the oncoming lane dived as if out of nowhere[1] „Es verdrängt das Nichts, indem es sich Bahn bricht und durch die Ritzen der schwarzen Schraffur zum Vorschein tritt.“
[1] "It does not displace anything by breaking the train and appearing through the cracks of the black hatching"[1] „Grenfeld öffnete die Augen und sah Magnusson ins Nichts starren.“
[1] "Grenfeld opened his eyes and looked Magnusson into nothing" "[1] „Ich raste gegen Nichts und Niemand.“
[1] "I raced against nothing and nobody" "[2] Entweder wir sind da, oder wir sind ein Nichts.
[2] either we are there or we are a nothing[2] Das Nichts ist für den Menschen schwer zu ertragen.
[2] Nothing is difficult for humans to endure[2] „Unter dem Eindruck der gesamten Maschinerie, den das Erlebnis der Fabriken mit den hilflosen Massen der um ein Nichts sich Mühenden und Fronenden in ihm hinterlassen hatte, kam ihm das persönliche Leben mit Anna nicht weniger gespentisch und gleichgültig vor.“
[2] "Under the impression of the entire machinery, which the experience of the factories with the helpless masses of the striking masses of nothing struggling and frones left in it, his personal life with Anna came no less ghostic and indifferent"[3] Hier sind Sie ein Nichts, Herr Baron!
[3] Here they are a nothing, Mr. Baronäte[3] Sprich nicht mehr von ihr! Sie ist ein Nichts, ohne jegliche Relevanz.
[3] Do not speak of theirs anymore, they are a nothing, without any relevanceHow do you pronounce Nichts?
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