not at all
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not at all
Used for strong negation and means 'überhaupt nicht' (not at all) or 'in keiner Weise' (in no way). The spelling 'gar nicht' is correct according to current German orthography, but the one-word spelling is common in colloquial usage.
Ich kann das garnicht glauben!
I can't believe that at all!
Although the one-word spelling 'garnicht' is very widespread, according to official German spelling only the separate spelling 'gar nicht' is considered correct. In informal communication such as chats, the combined form is often tolerated.
Das ist gar nicht so einfach, wie ich dachte.
That is not at all as easy as I thought.
'Gar nicht' (not at all) is an intensification of the negation 'nicht' (not). It expresses that something is absolutely not the case or in no way the case.
Ich habe heute gar keine Zeit.
I have no time at all today.
The word group 'gar nicht' (not at all) normally stands directly before the part of the sentence that it negates. This can be an adjective, an adverb, or another part of the sentence.
Der Film war gar nicht langweilig.
The film was not at all boring.
by no means
Gar nicht and mitnichten both reinforce a negation. Gar nicht is the usual everyday form; mitnichten sounds elevated, somewhat old-fashioned, or deliberately pointed. Gar nicht fits ordinary conversation, while mitnichten is mainly chosen for a marked rejection.
Im Gespräch sagt Tom, dass der Film gar nicht langweilig war.
In the conversation, Tom says that the film was not boring at all.
In seiner pointierten Kritik erklärt Tom, der Film sei mitnichten langweilig gewesen.
In his pointed review, Tom states that the film was by no means boring.
