Ne without pas: ne explétif and literary ne
Il est plus malin qu'on ne le croit, je ne saurais vous dire, il ne cesse de pleuvoir.
Ne explétif: a ne that doesn't negate
Besides clauses with avant que, à moins que, de peur que, craindre que (B2), the ne explétif appears in unequal comparisons and after empêcher, éviter que:
- Il est plus intelligent qu'on ne le pense.He's cleverer than people think.
- C'était moins difficile que je ne le craignais.It was less difficult than I feared.
- Évitez qu'il ne se fâche.Make sure he doesn't get angry.
Ne alone as a negative (literary)
With cesser, oser, pouvoir, savoir and in some set phrases, ne alone is enough to negate:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Il ne cesse de pleuvoir. | It won't stop raining. |
| Je n'ose le lui dire. | I daren't tell him. |
| Je ne saurais vous répondre. | I couldn't possibly answer you. |
| Si je ne me trompe… | Unless I'm mistaken… |
| Il n'y a personne qui ne le sache. | There's nobody who doesn't know it. |
| N'importe. | Never mind. |
Test yourself
-
Is this negative? «Je crains qu'il ne vienne.»
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No: it means «I'm afraid he will come» (ne explétif). -
Fill in (formal): La situation est plus grave qu'on ___ le dit.
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qu'on ne le dit -
Translate (literary): «He didn't dare speak.»
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Il n'osait parler. -
Translate: «Unless I'm mistaken, it's Tuesday.»
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Si je ne me trompe, c'est mardi.