weder...noch

Neither...Nor

Level 3

Use weder...noch to say that two (or more) things are not true or do not apply. It is the negative counterpart to sowohl...als auch (both...and).

How It Works

The correlative conjunction weder...noch is a powerful tool for precise negation in German.

1. Usage with Nouns and Adjectives
When linking simple elements like nouns or adjectives, no comma is required. The elements remain in their usual case.
Example: Ich trinke weder Kaffee noch Tee. (I drink neither coffee nor tea.)

2. Verb Agreement
If you have two singular subjects, the verb can be singular or plural. In modern German, the plural is common when the verb follows the subjects: Weder Peter noch Maria sind hier. If the verb comes first, the singular is often preferred: Hier ist weder Peter noch Maria. If subjects have different numbers (singular and plural), the verb usually agrees with the subject closest to it.

3. Word Order in Clauses
If weder starts a whole clause at the beginning of a sentence, it triggers V2 inversion, meaning the verb must come immediately after it. If weder only joins nouns, such as two subjects, the verb stays in second position as usual: Weder Peter noch Maria sind hier. If the second part (noch) introduces a new clause, it also triggers inversion. Commas between these clauses are typically omitted: Weder habe ich Zeit noch habe ich Lust.

4. Multiple Items
Although usually used for two items, you can negate three or more by repeating noch. No commas are used between the elements: weder A noch B noch C.

Examples (5)

  1. Ich habe weder Zeit noch Geld.

    I have neither time nor money.

    Word by Word: I have neither time nor money.

    A simple example linking two nouns. Note that no extra negation like 'kein' is needed.

  2. Das Wetter war weder warm noch sonnig.

    The weather was neither warm nor sunny.

    Word by Word: The weather was neither warm nor sunny.

    Here, the pattern links two adjectives describing the weather.

  3. Weder trinke ich Alkohol noch rauche ich.

    Neither do I drink alcohol nor do I smoke.

    Word by Word: Neither drink I alcohol nor smoke I.

    When starting with 'weder', the verb moves to the second position. Note that a comma is typically omitted between the clauses.

  4. Weder meine Mutter noch mein Vater konnten kommen.

    Neither my mother nor my father could come.

    Word by Word: Neither my mother nor my father could come.

    With two singular subjects, the plural verb 'konnten' is frequently used in modern German.

  5. Er kann weder singen noch tanzen.

    He can neither sing nor dance.

    Word by Word: He can neither sing nor dance.

    This shows the pattern linking two infinitive verbs at the end of the sentence.

Common Mistakes

  • Using double negation with 'nicht' or 'kein'.

    Ich habe weder kein Brot noch keine Milch.
    Ich habe weder Brot noch Milch.

    'Weder...noch' already contains the negative meaning. Adding 'kein' or 'nicht' creates an incorrect double negative.

  • Using 'weder' alone to mean 'me neither'.

    Weder ich.
    Ich auch nicht.

    'Weder' must always be paired with 'noch'. To say 'me neither', use 'auch nicht'.

  • Incorrect word order when 'weder' starts a whole clause.

    Weder ich habe Zeit noch ich habe Lust.
    Weder habe ich Zeit noch habe ich Lust.

    If 'weder' starts a whole clause, the verb must come next (Position 2), and 'noch' starts a second clause with the verb first too.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

weder...nochLevel 3Neither...Nor

Learn This First

To learn 'weder...noch' (neither...nor), you first need a solid grasp of basic German negation and how simple conjunctions connect words or phrases. Since 'weder...noch' acts as a coordinating conjunction, understanding standard word order is also necessary to ensure the verb remains in the correct position.

Words in This Pattern

weder