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German Phrase

Mein Fernseher geht nicht.

/maɪ̯n ˈfɛʁnˌzeːɐ̯ ɡeːt nɪçt/
Meaning"My TV doesn't work."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘My TV goes not.’ In everyday German it means ‘My television doesn’t work.’ The phrase is used to report a malfunction of the TV set.

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When to use

Use this sentence when your television has stopped turning on or displaying a picture, for example when you call a friend for help, speak to a repair service, or explain the problem to a landlord.

✦Grammar Breakdown

MeinFernsehergehtnicht

1

Possessive adjective (mein)

‘Mein’ agrees with the gender, number and case of the noun it modifies; here it is masculine nominative singular.

2

Masculine noun (Fernseher)

‘Fernseher’ is a masculine noun, so the possessive adjective takes the form ‘mein’.

3

Verb ‘gehen’ used idiomatically

In German, ‘gehen’ can mean ‘to work’ when talking about technical devices (e.g., ‘Der Computer geht nicht’).

4

Negation with ‘nicht’

‘Nicht’ follows the verb it negates; placing it elsewhere can change the meaning.

🗨In Conversation

A

Mein Fernseher geht nicht.

My TV doesn't work.

Oh nein, hast du schon die Steckdose geprüft?

Oh no, have you already checked the power outlet?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Mein Fernseher nicht geht.

    Placing ‘nicht’ before the verb changes the structure; it should follow the verb in this idiom.

  • Mein Fernseher ist nicht.

    ‘Ist’ is not used with ‘gehen’ for devices; the correct verb is ‘geht’ or ‘funktioniert.’

  • Mein Fernseher geht nicht mehr.

    ‘Mehr’ adds a nuance of ‘anymore’; it’s okay but often unnecessary unless you want to stress that it used to work before.

↔Alternatives

  • Mein Fernseher funktioniert nicht.

    My TV doesn't function.

  • Der Fernseher funktioniert nicht.

    The TV doesn't work.

  • Mein TV geht nicht.

    My TV doesn't work.

de

Cultural Tip

In German, ‘gehen’ is commonly used for electronic devices to mean ‘to work.’ The word ‘Fernseher’ is masculine, so the possessive adjective takes the form ‘mein.’ In informal speech many Germans shorten ‘Fernseher’ to ‘TV,’ especially among younger speakers. When you’re asking for help, it’s polite to add a brief apology like ‘Entschuldigung’ before stating the problem.