Niemand ist traurig.

to be

Breakdown of Niemand ist traurig.

• niemand: nobody
• traurig: sad

Questions & Answers about Niemand ist traurig.

Why does the sentence use Niemand instead of something like Keiner or Keine Person?

Because Niemand is the standard indefinite pronoun that means no one or nobody. It’s direct and commonly used. Keiner can also mean nobody, but it often appears as shorthand for keiner von uns or in certain specific contexts. Keine Person literally means no person, which is grammatically correct but less common than simply using Niemand.

Why does the verb appear in the singular form ist rather than something like sind?

Since Niemand is treated as a singular pronoun in German (comparable to he/she/it), the verb must also be in the third-person singular form ist.

Why isn’t the adjective traurig declined here?

Adjectives used after a linking verb like sein (to be) appear in their base form with no declension. In the sentence Niemand ist traurig, traurig is a predicate adjective following ist, so it remains uninflected.

Can this sentence also be phrased as Kein Mensch ist traurig?

Yes, you can say Kein Mensch ist traurig, which literally translates to No person is sad. It conveys a similar meaning. However, Niemand ist traurig is shorter, more direct, and quite common.

How would you form a question to ask if indeed nobody is sad?

You can say Ist wirklich niemand traurig? or Ist hier wirklich niemand traurig? to ask if truly no one is sad. The verb form remains singular because niemand is singular.