particle
no, not
A1
Nein is the basic German negative particle meaning 'no' (answer) and used to negate (not) in responses or short sentences. It’s not a conjugated verb, appears alone as an interjection or with sentence negation. Use it to reject, refuse, or negate statements; pronounced [naɪn].
Examples
Der Angeklagte sagte nein, obwohl alle Beweise gegen ihn sprachen.
The defendant said no, although all the evidence spoke against him.
Nein, das ist nicht richtig.
No, that's not right.
Er sagte nein zu dem Vorschlag.
He said no to the proposal.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture someone shaking their head and saying 'nein'.
Sounds exactly like English 'nigh(n)' minus the 'gh' — short and sharp: 'no'.
Notes
Basic negation/answer particle. Often used alone as a response.