Where does “nein” come from?
nein (Middle High German) comes from German ni ein.
Ancestry of “nein”, step by step
nein traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German ni ein
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | ni ein | — |
via Old High German nein
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | nein | no |