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How to Say ‘Under no circumstances’ in German

Auf keinen Fall

owf kigh-nehn fahl

[owf kigh-nehn fahl]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Said alone, Auf keinen Fall! is a firm "no way!". It's blunt but not rude among Germans.

Phrase Breakdown

Auf

[owf]

on (in 'auf keinen Fall')

Part of the fixed phrase 'auf keinen Fall' = by no means.

Example

Auf keinen Fall!

No way!

keinen

[kigh-nehn]

Not a single one; indicating the absence of something.

Example

Wir hatten keinen Platz für zusätzliche Möbel.

We had no space for additional furniture.

Fall

[fahl]

case

In 'auf keinen Fall': under no circumstances.

Example

In diesem Fall bleibe ich.

In this case I'll stay.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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