An t-éan deargJan 9, 2023
Jens Clasen

The German word "nee" means "no" (slang for "nein").

The word "ne?" is used like a question tag.

Both combined - "Nee, ne?" - can mean

- I can't believe this is really happening.
- No he didn't, did he?
- That isn't true, is it?
- Are you kidding me?!
- No way!
- That's gotta be a f*cking lie!

Enjoy our language, ne?

Jan 9, 2023 at 2:53pmWeb
Show threadSASHJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen sadly most germans dont get it;)
they write "ne" and mean "nee"<3
Show threadSebJan 10, 2023
@SASH @jensclasen THIS!
Show threadSara Joy Jan 9, 2023
@jensclasen I also enjoy a solid Nö sometimes
Show threadTiramJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen Nei, hæ?
Show threadNietzscheJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen ok uhm all of them mean the same thing. you just phrased it differently
Show threadgorillakhanJan 10, 2023
@Nietzsxhe @jensclasen Not entirely. It’s just that all those options can be applied to the same situation all at once. It’s called “nuance”, I believe.
Show threadNietzscheJan 10, 2023
@gorillakhan @jensclasen disbelief. every single one.
Show threadAljoscha Rittner (beandev)Jan 9, 2023
@jensclasen And in few regions nu/nü means Yes 😆
Show threadTeapotJan 10, 2023
@beandev @jensclasen In Saxony?
Show threadAljoscha Rittner (beandev)Jan 10, 2023
@IBB
👍
@jensclasen
Show threada8eJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen Perhaps you could add some phonetic information, since it might be difficult for non-native speakers to figure out the correct pronunciation of "nee", ne?
Show threadWinter // Juno 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Jan 9, 2023
@jensclasen so it's like English "no way..."
An expression of disbelief?
Show threadSusaJan 10, 2023
@deadofwinter
No. I would rather compare it to "hu?"
@jensclasen
Show threadHelena 🏳️‍⚧️Jan 9, 2023
@jensclasen after living there for two years I still cannot manage to remove Ne from my vocabulary even in English or other languages, it's so convenient as a tone indicator!
Show threadLaura Sykes #GreeneraliaJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen
N'est ce pas? Non e vero? But English doesn't really have a catchy equivalent...
Show threadHelles SachsenJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen
More confusing, "Nu" in the saxon idiom means the opposite, "yes", and also "do you agree?"
Show threadZerobrainJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen You forgot "Ne Ne Ne!" - Which means "totally absoluteley not".
Show threadWayneJan 9, 2023

@jensclasen

Afrikaans has the best sayings.

"Ja, Nee" which means "Yes, no". Which generally means no except when it means Yes. It's all about how it's said and the context.

There is also "Nou, Nou." Which is "now, now." Which is not now but sometime in the future.

Afrikaans has the best swear words though. But I'll refrain as they are rather offensive.

And then in South African English we have "just now". Which also isn't now but it's before "now now." But possibly after later.

I think all language had these weird idiosyncrasies.

Show threadErnyJan 9, 2023
@Weanerdog @jensclasen
And your Afrikaans | Nee, Ja" is offcourse Dutch.
In Afrikaans you have a habit of doubling up the words (to make them "stronger"), like your example Nou, nou.
In Dutch we don't do that. 😉
Show threadvandenberglegsJan 9, 2023
@Weanerdog @jensclasen Australian English has "yeah, nah" and "nah, yeah", which mean no and yes respectively, except when they don't.
Show threadWayneJan 10, 2023

@vandenberglegs Australian English also has the word batsman which South African English has dropped from it's vocabulary.

We do fortunately have a few batswoman.

Show threadvandenberglegsJan 10, 2023
@Weanerdog Australia has officially dropped batsman as well, but I'm sure it sneaks through sometimes. TV and radio commentary this summer seemed to be pretty good with using batter.
Show threadWayneJan 11, 2023
@vandenberglegs yeah we use batter as well. I was actually just making a joke that maybe our woman don't won't to be associated with how our men batters performed in Aus.
Show threadvandenberglegsJan 11, 2023
@Weanerdog point taken. Sorry, feeling a bit humourless at the moment.
Show threadWayneJan 12, 2023
@vandenberglegs no problem. I hope that in time you will feel better again and I hope that you have people close to you too help you through whatever you are going through.
Show threadSusaJan 10, 2023
@Weanerdog
I love it! Thank you for sharing :-)
@jensclasen
Show threadAndi BarthJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen na.
Show threadNo Little FingerJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen Schnee = shhhh nee
Show threadRadegundeJan 9, 2023
@jensclasen ne? The tag question (linguistic term) is restricted more to the Northern German sphere (but please do not ask me where exactly). Southern Germans have gell, gelle, or ge ? (Thuringia) . "No(r)" or nor-nor is used for agreement and compliance, friendly cooperation. This kind of friendliness-helpfulness is typical for the region. So you can use the interjection as a marker of social behavoir opposed to let us say stubborn or narcisstic citizens.
Show threadSusaJan 10, 2023
@jensclasen
#TheGermanWord :-)
Show threadRalph J.MayerJan 10, 2023
@jensclasen oder? #ch
Show threadCatherine RWJan 10, 2023
@jensclasen similar to the Scots "Aye, right"!
Show threadEssjay 🏳️‍🌈  Jan 10, 2023

@jensclasen

The same in Dutch too.

Show threadAndreas HöfeldJan 10, 2023
@jensclasen Mord-mit-Aussicht -(TOS)-Vibes " Mann, Mann, Mann!"
Show threadTarotcatJan 11, 2023
@jensclasen More confusing if you are speaking to a child. My first trip Australia to London had a change in Amsterdam. I sat with a family (parents + 4yo). Coincidentally sat with same family 6 months later. Child was chatting mix of English with a smattering of German & I presume Dutch. Answered a question with Ne, which she took to mean I spoke Dutch & I was treated to 30 hours of Dutch, with smatterings of German & English. Parents soto voce translations saved me from disgrace.
Show threadAnn EffesJan 23, 2023

@jensclasen @twbender

Heute hier zwar nicht unlustig, aber ich muss jetzt Fliesen an die Wand kleben und suche Grund, das hinaus zu zögern.
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