Breakdown of Sein Ruf soll nicht gut sein.
sein
to be
gut
good / well
nicht
not
sein
his
sollen
should / ought to
der Ruf
the reputation
Questions & Answers about Sein Ruf soll nicht gut sein.
Why does soll mean "is said to" instead of "should" in this sentence?
This is the subjective use of the modal verb sollen. While you first learned it as "should" or "ought to" for giving advice, it is also frequently used to report hearsay, rumors, or claims made by others. In this case, soll ... sein translates to "is said to be" or "is supposed to be".
Why is the verb sein at the very end of the sentence?
Because this sentence uses a modal verb (soll). As a refresher: in German, the conjugated modal verb takes the second position in the statement, and the main action verb (sein) is pushed to the very end of the clause in its infinitive (unconjugated) form.
Does Ruf literally mean "call"? How does it mean "reputation" here?
Yes, Ruf literally means a "call" or "shout" (from the verb rufen, to call). Over time, the concept of "what people call you" or "what is called out about you" evolved into meaning your "reputation".
Why is nicht placed right before gut?
When you negate a specific adjective or descriptive word rather than the entire action of the sentence, nicht is placed immediately before the word it is negating. Here, it is specifically negating the adjective gut.
Learn Sein Ruf soll nicht gut sein 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