der  Niemand

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈniːmant/

🤔 What does Niemand mean?

Niemand is an indefinite pronoun meaning 'no person', 'nobody', or 'no one'. It's used to express the absence of a person.

Grammatically, Niemand is always treated as masculine singular, even if it could refer to a group including women or when the gender is unknown.

The form der Niemand is a substantivisation (making it a noun) and is much rarer. It means 'an insignificant person', 'a nobody'. This usage is rather formal or dated and often slightly derogatory.

🚨 Attention: Niemand is always capitalized because it's a pronoun used as a noun.

🧐 Grammar of Niemand in Detail

The pronoun Niemand is declined (changes its ending based on case). It usually follows the strong declension (similar to 'jemand' - someone). The genitive form ending in -es is more common, the dative form ending in -em is also frequent, but the dative without an ending (niemand) is also correct and widely used.

Declension of 'Niemand' (Indefinite Pronoun)

Although 'Niemand' is grammatically masculine, there is no plural form.

Declension of 'der Niemand' (Noun)

This form is rare and is declined like a weak masculine noun when an article or pronoun precedes it. Without an article, it behaves as shown above.

📝 Example Sentences

• Niemand war zu Hause. (Nobody was home.) - Nominative
• Ich habe niemanden gesehen. (I saw nobody / I didn't see anybody.) - Accusative
• Ich traue niemandem mehr. (I don't trust anyone anymore.) - Dative
• Das ist niemandes Schuld. (That is nobody's fault.) - Genitive
• Er wurde behandelt wie der letzte Niemand. (He was treated like a complete nobody.) - Noun, derogatory

💡 How to use Niemand?

Niemand is used to express that no person is present, doing something, or affected. It is the direct opposite of jemand (someone).

• Context: In statements, questions, or answers involving a negation concerning people.
• Formality: Standard in spoken and written language.
• Risk of Confusion: Don't confuse it with nichts (nothing), which refers to things, not people.

The noun form der Niemand is rarely used and sounds formal or literary. It often carries a negative connotation of insignificance.

Example: "Warum hast du mir nicht geholfen?" - "Da war niemand." ("Why didn't you help me?" - "There was nobody there.")

Example (rare): "In den Augen des Königs war er nur ein Niemand." ("In the eyes of the king, he was just a nobody.")

🧠 Mnemonics for Niemand

Remembering the meaning: Think of "Nie" (never) and "mand" (sounds like man or relates to Mensch = person). So, "never a man/person" -> nobody.

Remembering the grammatical gender: Even though it means no person, Niemand ends with a 'd'. Connect this 'd' sound to der (the masculine article). Imagine this 'd' forces the masculine gender, even if it seems illogical.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar words:

• Nichts: Refers to things, not people ('nothing'). ("Ich sehe nichts." - I see nothing. vs. "Ich sehe niemanden." - I see nobody.)

😄 A Little Joke

Klopft es an der Tür. Fritzchen ruft: "Wer ist da?"
Die Antwort: "Ich bin's!"
Fritzchen überlegt und sagt: "Komisch, ich kenne Niemanden, der 'Ich bin's' heißt!"

Translation:
There's a knock at the door. Little Fritz calls out: "Who's there?"
The reply: "It's me!"
Little Fritz thinks and says: "Funny, I know Nobody whose name is 'It's me'!"

✍️ Poem about Niemand

Im leeren Raum, so still und weit,
sucht man Gesellschaft, sucht Geleit.
Man ruft und fragt: "Ist jemand hier?"
Doch Antwort schallt: "Nur ich, das Tier?"
Nein, still bleibt's, keine Seele spricht,
denn anwesend ist hier schlicht
... Niemand.

Translation:
In empty space, so still and wide,
One seeks some company, a guide.
One calls and asks: "Is someone near?"
But echo answers: "Just me, the deer?"
No, silence stays, no soul does speak,
For present here, it's simply bleak
... Nobody.

🧩 Who or what am I?

Ich habe keinen Körper, doch ich kann anwesend sein.
Ich habe keine Stimme, doch meine Abwesenheit spricht Bände.
Ich bin das Gegenteil von 'Jemand'.

Wer bin ich?
Auflösung: Niemand

Translation:
I have no body, yet I can be present.
I have no voice, yet my absence speaks volumes.
I am the opposite of 'Someone'.

Who am I?
Answer: Nobody (Niemand)

🌐 Other Information

Word Composition: The word Niemand is composed of the adverb nie (never) and an old form of Mann (in the sense of human, person). So literally "never a person".

Cultural References: In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus famously tells the cyclops Polyphemus that his name is "Nobody" (Οὖτις in Greek, often translated as Niemand in German versions) to trick him.