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German Phrase

Ich hab gesagt: keine Nüsse.

/ɪç haːp ɡəˈzaːt ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈnʏsə/
Meaning"I said: no nuts."
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Meaning

The speaker is reminding someone that they previously stated they do not want any nuts. It can be used to emphasize a refusal, often because of an allergy, dietary preference, or simply not liking nuts.

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When to use

Use this sentence in informal situations such as at a café, a party, or when talking to friends or family. It works well when you need to repeat a clear ‘no nuts’ request that you have already made.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ichhabgesagt:keineNüsse.

1

hab (colloquial habe)

In spoken German the auxiliary "habe" is often shortened to "hab"; in formal writing keep the full form.

2

gesagt (past participle)

"gesagt" is the past participle of "sagen" and is used with the auxiliary "haben" to form the perfect tense.

3

keine (negation of plural nouns)

"keine" is the negative indefinite article used with plural nouns (or feminine singular) to mean "no" or "not any".

4

Nüsse (plural noun)

"Nüsse" is the plural of "Nuss" (nut). Plural nouns in German are capitalised.

5

Colon usage

A colon can introduce a direct quotation or a clarification; it is optional in casual speech but common in written German.

🗨In Conversation

A

Möchtest du ein Stück Kuchen mit Nüssen?

Do you want a piece of cake with nuts?

Ich hab gesagt: keine Nüsse.

I said: no nuts.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich hab gesagt: nicht Nüsse.

    Use "keine" to negate a noun; "nicht" negates verbs, adjectives, or whole clauses.

  • Ich hab gesagt dass keine Nüsse.

    When using "dass", you need a comma and the full auxiliary "habe" in formal writing.

  • Ich hab gesagt: keine Nuss.

    "Nuss" is singular; if you mean "no nuts" in general, use the plural "Nüsse".

↔Alternatives

  • Ich habe gesagt, dass ich keine Nüsse will.

    I said that I don't want any nuts.

  • Ich habe gesagt: keine Nüsse mehr.

    I said: no more nuts.

  • Bitte keine Nüsse.

    Please, no nuts.

de

Cultural Tip

The contraction "hab" is typical of everyday spoken German and is perfectly fine in casual conversation, but in formal contexts (e.g., business emails) you should use the full form "habe". Also, German speakers often place the colon directly after the verb without a space, mirroring the punctuation style shown here.