keinesfalls
by no means
Expresses a strong negation; under no circumstances, not in any case.
EXAMPLE
Du solltest dieses Medikament keinesfalls ohne ärztlichen Rat einnehmen.
You should by no means take this medication without medical advice.
keinesfalls
by no means
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of 'keines' (genitive of 'kein') and 'Falls' (from 'der Fall'). So it literally means 'keines Falles' (in no case) and can be translated as 'in no case'.
EXAMPLE
Ich werde dir keinesfalls mein Auto leihen.
I will by no means lend you my car.
Sentence position
'Keinesfalls' (by no means) can stand in position 1 to strongly emphasize the negation. In this case, the verb follows directly after it (inversion). But it can also stand after the verb and the subject.
EXAMPLE
Keinesfalls solltest du diese E-Mail öffnen!
By no means should you open this email!
Register and style
'Keinesfalls' (by no means) is a very strong and rather formal way of negating something. It expresses more emphasis than a simple 'nicht' (not).
EXAMPLE
Die vertraulichen Informationen dürfen keinesfalls an Dritte weitergegeben werden.
The confidential information must by no means be passed on to third parties.
Compare with
keinesfalls vs keineswegs
by no means
Keineswegs and keinesfalls both express a very emphatic negation. Keineswegs usually rejects a statement or assumption, while keinesfalls emphasizes that something must not happen or apply under any circumstances. Keineswegs is suitable for correcting a claim; keinesfalls is particularly appropriate for categorically ruling something out.
keinesfalls
Keinesfalls darf der Fahrer die rote Ampel überfahren.
Under no circumstances may the driver run a red light.
keineswegs
Keineswegs ist der neue Plan so einfach, wie manche behaupten.
By no means is the new plan as simple as some people claim.
In real life
Loading video examples...