German Conversation · Level 4
88 words
German word
niemals
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈniːmaːls/
Meaning
- adverbnever
Example
Das haben wir niemals erwartet.
We never expected that.
More examples
Ich werde das niemals tun.
I will never do that.
Core concept
A door remains closed at every attempt, so the expected event does not occur even once.
Common phrases
niemals wieder
never again
niemals mehr
never again
Similar words
nie: A neutral way to say that something does not happen even once.
noch nie: A way to say that something has not happened at any time up to now.
nie wieder: A way to say that something will not happen again.
Definition in German
Zu keinem Zeitpunkt; in keiner Situation jemals; nicht ein einziges Mal.
Word origin
The form niemals developed from the negative element nie and the time expression Mal, corresponding historically to the idea of not even one occasion.
Usage tips
- Niemals is often more emphatic than neutral nie, while both can express a general lack of occurrence rather than only a single failed attempt.