German Phrase
Mein Computer geht nicht an.
Meaning
Literally, ‘My computer does not go on.’ In everyday German it means ‘My computer won’t turn on.’ The phrase is used when the device fails to start after pressing the power button.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re troubleshooting a PC that refuses to start, whether you’re speaking to a friend, a tech‑support person, or a colleague. It’s a neutral, factual statement, suitable for both informal and semi‑formal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
MeinComputergehtnichtan
Possessive Determiner
‘Mein’ shows ownership and agrees with the gender and case of the noun (here Nominative masculine).
Separable Verb ‘angehen’
‘Geht … an’ is the split form of the verb ‘angehen’ (to turn on). The prefix ‘an’ moves to the end in main clauses.
Negation Placement
‘Nicht’ is placed directly before the separable prefix ‘an’ to negate the whole action.
🗨In Conversation
Mein Computer geht nicht an.
My computer won’t turn on.
Hast du den Stecker überprüft?
Did you check the plug?
✕Common Mistakes
Mein Computer geht an nicht.
Placing ‘nicht’ after the verb (e.g., ‘Mein Computer geht an nicht’) breaks the standard negation order.
Mein Computer ist nicht an.
‘Ist nicht an’ is a literal translation of English ‘is not on’ and is not idiomatic for devices.
Mein Computer geht nicht an.
In Austria and parts of southern Germany, ‘Rechner’ is preferred; using ‘Computer’ is still correct but may sound less colloquial.
↔Alternatives
Mein Rechner lässt sich nicht einschalten.
My computer won’t switch on.
Mein PC geht nicht an.
My PC won’t turn on.
Der Computer startet nicht.
The computer doesn’t start.
Cultural Tip
In German, both ‘Computer’ and ‘PC’ are common, but ‘Rechner’ is a native‑speaker favorite, especially in technical contexts. When describing a malfunction, Germans often use the separable verb ‘angehen’ (to turn on) in its split form, as in ‘geht … an’. Avoid the literal English‑style ‘ist nicht an’, which sounds unnatural.