kein or nicht?
a1German negates with two words: kein negates a noun that would take an indefinite article or none at all, nicht negates everything else - verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns with a definite or possessive article.
kein
Before a noun that would take „ein“, „eine“ or no article at all. It is declined like „ein“: keinen Hund, keine Zeit, kein Geld.
Ich habe keine Zeit.I don't have any time.
nicht
Negates the verb or one part of the sentence. It stands right before the word being negated, and at the very end when the whole sentence is meant.
Ich kenne den Film nicht.I don't know the film.
The mistake
Ich habe nicht Zeit.
Ich habe keine Zeit.
„Zeit“ has no article here, so the noun is negated with „kein“, not the verb with „nicht“.
Rule of thumb
Test: could „ein“ or nothing at all stand in front of the noun? Then kein. Is there already a „der“ or „mein“ - or no noun at all? Then nicht.
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