niemand

See also: Niemand

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch niemand, from Middle Dutch nieman, from Old Dutch nieman.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Pronoun

niemand

1. nobody; no one
2. none

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch nieman, from Old Dutch nieman. Equivalent to n- +‎ iemand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈni.mɑnt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: nie‧mand
• Rhymes: -imɑnt

Pronoun

niemand (genitive niemands)

1. nobody, no one

   Niemand weet, niemand weet, dat ik Repelsteeltje heet.

   Nobody knows, nobody knows, that I am called Rumpelstiltskin.

Antonyms

• iemand
• iedereen

Descendants

• Afrikaans: niemand

German

Alternative forms

• Niemand (nonstandard in this use)

Etymology

From Middle High German nieman, from Old High German nioman; equivalent to nie (“never”) + Mann (“man”). Cognate with Hunsrik nimmand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniːmant/

• Audio

  (file)

Pronoun

niemand

1. nobody, no one

   Synonym: keiner

   Antonyms: jemand, einer

   Es ist gar niemand da. ― There's no one at all.

   • 1524, “Christ lag in Todes Banden”, Martin Luther (lyrics), Johann Walter (music):

     Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt.

     Nobody could defeat death.

Usage notes

• Niemand is synonymous with keiner (“no one”), which is the nominalised masculine form of the pronoun kein (“no”). In written German, niemand is more common than keiner, whereas colloquial German often prefers the latter. (Note that keiner can also be used in other senses, in which niemand is not applicable.)
• Niemand may or may not take the case endings -em (dative) and -en (accusative). Thus: “Ich suche niemand” and “Ich suche niemanden” are both correct translations of “I'm looking for nobody.” The latter is somewhat more common (at least in writing). Using niemanden in the dative is incorrect, but it's a common error and occurs with surprising frequency in print. It was possible historically, but not in Modern German.
• With a following adjective, niemand is always uninflected. The adjective itself is capitalized and declined in the strong pattern. It generally uses neuter forms: niemand Neues – "nobody new". In the accusative case it may also take a masculine form: “Ich suche niemand Neuen” alongside “Ich suche niemand Neues.” ("I'm looking for nobody new.") The dative form has -em either way. The genitive case cannot be used with an adjective, but needs to be paraphrased.

Declension

• nominative: niemand
• genitive: niemandes, niemands
• dative: niemandem, niemand, niemanden (dated, nonstandard)
• accusative: niemanden, niemand

Derived terms

• Niemand
• Niemandsland

Related terms

• nichts

Descendants

• → Hungarian: nímand

Further reading

• “niemand” in Duden online
• “niemand” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Niemand in Adelung's Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart at Zeno.org