niemand

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

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niemand

1. nobody; no one
2. none

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈni.mɑnt/

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• Hyphenation: nie‧mand
• Rhymes: -imɑnt

niemand (genitive niemands)

1. nobody, no one

   Niemand weet, niemand weet, dat ik Repelsteeltje heet.

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

• iemand
• iedereen

• Afrikaans: niemand

• Niemand (nonstandard in this use)

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈniːmant/

• Audio:

  (file)

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.

• 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.

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

• Niemand
• Niemandsland

• nichts

• → Hungarian: nímand

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