German Phrase
Nein, bring bitte dein eigenes mit.
Meaning
The speaker refuses something and politely asks the listener to bring their own item instead. The phrase is often used when sharing food, drinks, or equipment and the host wants guests to bring their own.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to decline an offer (e.g., a shared snack) but still want the other person to bring their own version. It works in casual settings among friends, at a potluck, or in a workplace where you’re asked to bring something you don’t have.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Neinbringbittedeineigenesmit
Negation (Nein)
‘Nein’ is the standard way to say ‘no’ in German; it can stand alone or precede a clause for a firm refusal.
Imperative of ‘bringen’ (bring)
‘bring’ is the du‑imperative of the verb ‘bringen’ (to bring). For the formal Sie form you would say ‘bringen Sie’.
Politeness particle (bitte)
‘bitte’ softens a request, similar to ‘please’. It can appear before or after the verb in an imperative sentence.
Possessive pronoun (dein)
‘dein’ means ‘your’ (informal du). It must agree in gender, number and case with the noun it modifies.
Adjective declension (eigenes)
‘eigenes’ is the neuter singular nominative form of the adjective ‘eigen’ (own) with a weak ending because the possessive article ‘dein’ provides the article’s ending.
Separable particle (mit)
‘mit’ is the separable prefix of the verb ‘mitbringen’ (to bring along). In the main clause it moves to the end of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Möchtest du das Brot mitbringen?
Would you like to bring the bread?
Nein, bring bitte dein eigenes mit.
No, please bring your own.
✕Common Mistakes
Nein, bring dein eigenes mit.
Missing ‘bitte’ makes the request sound abrupt; add ‘bitte’ for politeness.
Nein, bring bitte deine eigene mit.
The adjective must agree with the (implied) neuter noun, so use ‘eigenes’, not ‘eigene’.
Nein, mit bring bitte dein eigenes.
In a main clause the separable prefix ‘mit’ must go to the end, not after the verb.
↔Alternatives
Nein, nimm bitte dein eigenes mit.
No, please take your own with you.
Nein, bring dein eigenes mit, bitte.
No, bring your own, please.
Nein, bring dein eigenes Essen mit.
No, bring your own food.
Cultural Tip
German speakers value clarity and directness, so a short ‘Nein’ followed by a clear request is perfectly polite. Adding ‘bitte’ keeps the tone friendly. The separable verb ‘mitbringen’ is very common in everyday conversation, especially when discussing potlucks, picnics, or shared office supplies. Remember that the adjective ‘eigenes’ must match the (often omitted) noun in gender – here it’s neuter because the implied noun (e.g., ‘Essen’, ‘Getränk’) is neuter.