Can ni l'un ni l'autre be used as an object?

Winston K.C1Kwiziq community member

Can ni l'un ni l'autre be used as an object?

In the article we mentioned answering simple questions with "ni l'un ni l'autre" like: 

Quel parfum tu veux ? Fraise ou vanille? - Ni l'un ni l'autre. 

The "ni l'un ni l'autre" is used to replace "parfum", which is the object of the verb. Are there any instances where ni l'un ni l'autre can be used as a direct object or an indirect object in a full sentence? Thanks!

Asked 4 years ago
CélineKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Winston,

A direct object is directly placed after the verb and no preposition is used to introduce it.

‘ni l’un ni l’autre’:

Question: Tu veux manger la pomme rouge ou la pomme verte ? =

               Do you want to eat the red apple or the green apple?

Réponse: Je ne mange ni l’une ni l’autre =

               I don’t want it either of them

 

An indirect object is placed after the verb and introduced by a preposition.

‘ni à l’un ni à l’autre’ / ‘ni de l’un ni de l’autre’:

Parler à [qqun]

 

Question: Tu parles toujours à ton frère et ta sœur ? =

               Do you still talk to your brother and your sister ?

Répsonse: Je ne parle ni à l’un ni à l’autre =

                I don’t talk to either of them

 

Parler de [qqch]

Question: Parlez-vous de sport ou de littérature ? =

               Are you talking about sports or of literature?

Réponse: Nous ne parlons ni de l’un ni de l’autre =

              We aren’t talking about either of them

 

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée!

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I think you answered your own question:

Je veux ni l’un ni l’autre. 

Can ni l'un ni l'autre be used as an object?

In the article we mentioned answering simple questions with "ni l'un ni l'autre" like: 

Quel parfum tu veux ? Fraise ou vanille? - Ni l'un ni l'autre. 

The "ni l'un ni l'autre" is used to replace "parfum", which is the object of the verb. Are there any instances where ni l'un ni l'autre can be used as a direct object or an indirect object in a full sentence? Thanks!

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