German Agreeing & Disagreeing Vocabulary
This set covers how Germans agree, push back, and settle things, from the basic nein to sharper tools like der Einwand and der Widerspruch. The word that trips up English speakers most is doch: it's not just "but," it's the word you use to contradict a negative question and insist the opposite is true, a job English has no single word for.
Learn these 14 words
Spaced-repetition flashcards, straight in your browser. No sign-up, no install — the same review ladder Anki uses, on the words above.
All 14 words
- neinA1
no
Fährst du auch nach München? – Nein, ich habe keine Zeit. — Are you going to Munich too? – No, I don't have time.
confirm
Ich kann bestätigen, dass er hier war. — I can confirm that he was here.
- dochA2
but, yet, however
Hast du keinen Hunger? - Doch, ich bin sehr hungrig. — Aren't you hungry? - Yes I am, I'm very hungry.
agree
Als Termin schlage ich den 11. Juni vor. - Gut, (ich bin) einverstanden. — I suggest June 11th as the date. - Good, I agree.
agreed / deal
Abgemacht, wir treffen uns um sechs. — Agreed, we'll meet at six.
plural: die Ablehnungen
rejection
Seine Ablehnung kam für alle überraschend. — His rejection surprised everyone.
agreed, in agreement
Als Termin schlage ich den 3. Mai vor. – Gut, einverstanden! — I suggest May 3rd as the date. – Good, agreed!
plural: die Einwände
objection
Ich habe keinen Einwand dagegen. — I have no objection to that.
plural: die Widersprüche
contradiction
In seinen Worten liegt ein Widerspruch. — There is a contradiction in his words.
to chime in with
Alle pflichteten seiner Meinung bei. — Everyone chimed in with his opinion.
to answer in the negative / deny / negate
Er verneinte die Anschuldigung kategorisch. — He categorically denied the accusation.
plural: die Vorbehalte
a caveat / reservation
Er stimmte unter dem Vorbehalt zu, dass die Kosten gedeckt werden. — He agreed with the caveat that costs would be covered.
- zumutenB2
to expect of / ask of
Ich kann dir nicht zumuten, alleine zu arbeiten. — I cannot ask you to work alone.
plural: die Widerreden
a reply / backtalk / contradiction
Seine Widerrede war unerwartet und scharf. — His backtalk was unexpected and sharp.
How to learn this set
Group der Einwand, der Widerspruch, and die Widerrede together: all three describe pushing back against someone, but they sit on a scale from mild (Einwand) to formal (Widerspruch) to blunt, almost rude (Widerrede). Say them out loud in a sentence like "Ich habe einen Einwand" versus "Das ist Widerspruch" to feel the difference in weight. For the verb pair verneinen and beipflichten, drill them as opposites: one shuts a statement down, the other backs it up. Don't skip doch until you've drilled nein and ja solid, since doch only makes sense once you know what it's overriding.
More Communication & Media word packs
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ja, nein, and doch in German?
Ja answers a positive question with yes, and nein answers any question with no. Doch is the special case: it means yes when you're contradicting a negative question, like answering 'Hast du kein Geld?' with 'Doch!' to mean 'Yes I do have money.'
What is the difference between der Einwand and der Widerspruch?
Ein Einwand is a specific objection or concern you raise about a point, often something you can address one by one. Ein Widerspruch is a broader contradiction, either between two statements or a flat rejection of what someone said.
Is abgemacht the same as einverstanden?
They overlap but aren't identical. Einverstanden means you agree with a statement or idea, while abgemacht is what you say to seal a deal or arrangement, closer to 'it's settled' or 'deal.'
Other popular word packs
Free to start · no credit card
Words fade fast — spaced reviews make them stick.
Based on Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus · memory science, proven since 1885