Questions & Answers about Nein, das stimmt nicht.
Why isn't there a word for "is" in this sentence?
In English, we say "that is right" using "is" plus an adjective. In German, stimmen is a verb that means "to be right" or "to be correct" all by itself. So, das stimmt does the job of the whole phrase.
Can das mean "that" instead of "the"?
Yes! You probably learned das as the neutral word for "the" (like in das Buch). But it is frequently used on its own to mean "that" or "this" when referring to a general statement, idea, or situation.
Why is nicht at the very end of the sentence?
In German, when you want to negate the main action of the sentence (in this case, the verb stimmen), the word nicht normally goes at the very end of the clause.
How would I say "That is right" if I actually agree with someone?
You simply drop the word nicht. Saying Das stimmt is a very common and natural way to say "That's true" or "That's right" in German.
Learn Nein, das stimmt nicht and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free