Can you use aucun/aucune to shorten these sentences?

helen w.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Can you use aucun/aucune to shorten these sentences?

Especially, if you are saing "neither". Could you use aucun/aucune with "ne" in front fo the verb: J'ai appelé Paul et Hadrien, mais aucun (or personne) n'a répondu." (I'm thinking now that aucun is about things not people? So, what about personne?)
Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

You can say either: "aucun n'a répondu" or "personne n'a répondu".
They mean about the same thing with a slight difference in connotation:
"aucun" seems to imply a known group of people of which nobody replied. "personne" is simply "nobody".

Comparing it to English, it seems to me that "aucun" is similar to "none" and "personne" to "nobody".

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

AurélieNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer
Tom K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I believe that Aucun in the plural can be used with those nouns that only exist in a plural form and also for those nouns whose meanings differ from singular to plural.

e.g.Aucuns agrès (No equipment), Aucunes arrhes (No deposit);  Aucuns frais (No charges).

 

Also,

D'aucuns (Some (people)) acting as an equivalent of Certains or Quelques-uns is sometimes used:

          D'aucuns croient que la terre est plate.

helen w.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Oops. Just found out aucun/e can apply to people....so would the use of aucun or personne be correct?
helen w.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Bonjour, Chris and Aurelie-- Thank you both!! Very helpful. Somehow I can remember aucun(e) more easily!

Can you use aucun/aucune to shorten these sentences?

Especially, if you are saing "neither". Could you use aucun/aucune with "ne" in front fo the verb: J'ai appelé Paul et Hadrien, mais aucun (or personne) n'a répondu." (I'm thinking now that aucun is about things not people? So, what about personne?)

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Let me take a look at that...