German Phrase
Die Klimaanlage geht nicht.
Meaning
Literally, ‘The air‑conditioner goes not.’ In everyday German it means ‘The air‑conditioner isn’t working.’ It is used to report a malfunction of a cooling unit.
When to use
Use this sentence when you discover that the AC in a room, office, hotel, or apartment has stopped cooling. It’s a polite way to alert staff, a landlord, or a roommate that the unit needs fixing.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieKlimaanlagegehtnicht
Definite article (Die)
‘Die’ is the nominative feminine singular article, used because ‘Klimaanlage’ is a feminine noun.
Noun gender (Klimaanlage)
‘Klimaanlage’ (air‑conditioner) is a feminine noun; its plural is ‘Klimaanlagen’.
Verb ‘gehen’ (geht)
In this idiom ‘gehen’ means ‘to work/operate’. It is conjugated in the 3rd person singular present: ‘geht’.
Negation (nicht)
‘Nicht’ negates the verb phrase and is placed directly after the verb in simple statements.
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, die Klimaanlage geht nicht.
Excuse me, the air‑conditioner isn’t working.
Oh, das tut mir leid. Ich rufe sofort den Techniker.
Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll call the technician right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Klimaanlage nicht geht.
‘Nicht’ must follow the verb; the correct order is ‘geht nicht’.
Die Klimaanlage ist nicht.
‘Die Klimaanlage ist nicht’ is incomplete; you need a predicate like ‘funktioniert’ or ‘kaputt’.
Klimaanlage geht nicht die.
Word order in German places the article before the noun; the article cannot be moved to the end.
↔Alternatives
Die Klimaanlage funktioniert nicht.
The air conditioner does not function.
Die Klimaanlage ist kaputt.
The air conditioner is broken.
Die Klimaanlage arbeitet nicht.
The air conditioner isn’t operating.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries it’s customary to start a complaint with a soft opener such as ‘Entschuldigung’ or ‘Entschuldigen Sie bitte’. The verb ‘gehen’ is frequently used for devices that don’t work (e.g., ‘Der Fernseher geht nicht’). Avoid sounding abrupt; a polite tone helps keep the interaction friendly.