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I commonly hear people saying something like:

  • Aber du wirst mir noch den Rest heute bezahlen, ne?

  • Heute fühle ich mich nicht wohl, ne!

oder

  • Versuch es anders, ne!

I've tried to capture in the previous sentences the most diverse significantly different situations in which I've heard it.

I assume that it means oder? but:

  1. Which is the right spelling? If it's not standard, which is the pronuntiation?

  2. Which are all the possible meanings? (I assume they are not a lot)

1 Answer 1

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The correct spelling is ne and it's a common but informal interjection in many parts of Germany. It replaces nicht wahr? and oder? in some dialects. Note, that it does not mean Nein in this context1.

The pronunciation may vary between dialects from a clear German e-sound to a German ä-sound. But it's definitely not pronounce with an ö-sound. would again be Nein1:

Siehst du doch auch so, ne?

Nö, seh' ich nicht so.

The German a-sound may be used as well but I guess it's rather used when you're challenging someone.

Naaaa? Schaffst du es oder brauchste Hilfe?

Typically, the ne-interjection is used likewise to isn't it? in English. Thus, your second and third example is somewhat weird as being exclamations which are usually not followed by ne.

Apart, in my dialect you may hear wa instead of ne.


1 Ne (or ) can also mean Nein but than it's preceding the sentence and not following it.

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  • 2
    The e in ne can also be pronounces as a schwa, which might be mistaken for an ö. Commented Aug 15, 2013 at 8:16
  • 1
    This is also subject to regional preferences. In Schwaben, you can tack on a "gelle?" to almost any sentence. In the Western Rhine area near Aachen, it will be "Wa?". I've seen bumper stickers with "Aachen, wa?" !
    – teylyn
    Commented Aug 15, 2013 at 11:00
  • 1
    Und in Sachsen ist es nu, nu? Und gelegentlich hört man auch ein ungefärbtes nicht, nicht? Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 1:35

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