💸🚫

How to Say ‘I have no money.’ in German

Ich hab keine Kohle.

ikh hop kigh-neh KOH-leh

[ikh hop kigh-neh KOH-leh]

💬 Usage Tip: hab is the spoken short form of habe, with the final e dropped. You'll hear ich hab far more than ich habe in everyday talk.

Phrase Breakdown

Ich hab

ikh hop

I have

'hab' is the casual short form of 'habe'. The 'ch' in 'Ich' is a soft hiss, like a whispered 'h' near 'sh'.

Example

Ich hab Hunger.

I'm hungry.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

hab

[hop]

have

To own, hold, or possess.

Example

Ich hab' einen Luftballon aus dem Fest.

I have a balloon from the festival.

keine Kohle.

kigh-neh KOH-leh

no money (no cash)

'Kohle' literally means 'coal' and is slang for money. Say 'KY-ne KOH-le' with a long 'o'.

Example

Sorry, ich hab keine Kohle mehr.

Sorry, I don't have any money left.

Words in this phrase

keine

[kigh-neh]

Not a single one; indicating the absence of something.

Example

Es gibt keinen einzigen, und auch keine mehr zu finden.

There is not a single one, and also no more to find.

Kohle

[KOH-leh]

cash / dough

Slang for money, literally 'coal'.

Example

Für die Reise brauche ich Kohle.

I need cash for the trip.

Guides for German learners

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