In: Level B1, Negative Words & Constructions, Forme négative

Look at these examples with aucun(e) ... ne:

Les filles sortent ce soir, mais aucune ne prend le train.
The girls are going out tonight, but none (of them) is taking the train.

Aucune de tes robes ne me va.
None of your dresses fits me

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant.
None of his books is interesting.

De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible.
Out of all the lies you told, none is believable.

Aucun/aucune ne/n' means none (of them).

This term can refer to both objects and people.

Note three things:

aucun/e ne is always followed by singular in French (even though in modern English, none of them are is sometimes considered acceptable)
aucun/aucune agree in gender with the object it refers to
You have to use the negation ne/n' unlike in English

We can also express none of them using aucun d'entre eux ne ... / aucune d'entre elles ne ..., like this:

Aucun d'entre eux n'est intéressant.
Aucune d'entre elles n'est intéressante.
None of them is interesting.

aucun/e means none, rien means nothing!

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Forme négative

Examples and resources

Aucun d'entre eux n'est intéressant.
Aucune d'entre elles n'est intéressante.
None of them is interesting.

Les filles sortent ce soir, mais aucune ne prend le train.
The girls are going out tonight, but none (of them) is taking the train.

Aucune de tes robes ne me va.
None of your dresses fits me

De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible.
Out of all the lies you told, none is believable.

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant.
None of his books is interesting.

Q&A Forum 13 questions, 20 answers

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Question about "De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible"

Translated as: "Out of all the lies you told, none is believable."

Is this French example used simply to illustrate French grammar?

Because as a statement of logic, the statement is nonsense. The second half of the statement is superfluous. Lies are ipso facto not credible (that is the nature of a lie). So of course 100% of the time they are not credible.

As an analogy, no one would say: "Out of all the green marbles you gave me, none is orange."

If instead you said: "Out of all the statements you told, none is believable" (or correct in French: "De tous les choses que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible"?) or "Out of all the marbles you gave me, none is orange", these full sentences have logical meaning.

Asked 6 months ago

Like0Answer5

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

"Believable" is a hypothetical judgement - could a reasonable person believe it. It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not, or whether you know it's untrue, the question is whether it's plausible.

Like06 months ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Well, to me this statement is logically OK. To be credible doesn't mean to be true. So a lie can be credible and still be a lie.

Like06 months ago

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Yes, I agree. If we have no foreknowledge of the lie.

But here the speaker knows (i.e., has foreknowledge that) all the statements are lies, as s/he says: "Out of all the lies you told, none is believable."

Statements (the truth or falsity of which have not been verified or are unknown) are credible.

Lies when known to be lies are never credible. It's a logical impossibility.

If for some cultural language reason you wish to tell me this sentence in French is acceptable I will accept your assertion. But if instead you are insisting that, at least with respect to the English, it's logical, I am sorry but you are wrong.

Like06 months ago

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I might know that what you have said is a lie, but that doesn't mean that everyone knows. I can still have an opinion as to whether the lie is believable to other people.

Like06 months ago

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Yes, true, but the context here does not readily lend itself to the possibility of the presence of other people.

The speaker says "you" so is obviously speaking only to the person(s) who told the lies.

The key point here is that the speaker has foreknowledge of the lies. Once foreknowledge is introduced the statement is not logical.

If instead the speaker said: "Out of all the lies you told, none was ever believable," the context changes. Now the speaker is indicating two things, albeit vaguely: 1) there was a point in time when the lies may not have been known to be lies and appeared credible and 2) all statements are now known to be lies.

But I'm sure Lawless French wants to provide it's students with simple, logical grammar points. Not examples that contain some abstract or tortured meaning

Like06 months ago

John asked:View original

Question about "De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible"

Translated as: "Out of all the lies you told, none is believable."

Is this French example used simply to illustrate French grammar?

As an analogy, no one would say: "Out of all the green marbles you gave me, none is orange."

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NevilleB1Kwiziq community member

More on personne vs aucun

R.e. this question:

Tous les gosses y vont, mais ________ prend le train.

User "Lolli" in Jan 2018 asked if "personne ne" would also be correct in this sentence (in addition to the "correct" answer of "aucun ne"). I think that in spoken conversation, "personne ne" would be acceptable and convey equivalent meaning. There hasn't yet been a definitive response as to whether "personne ne" is acceptable grammatically.

Can anyone provide definitive guidance on this?

(Maybe the kwiziq website logic can't accommodate unanticipated responses?)

Asked 8 months ago

Like0Answer1

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

In my understanding, "personne ne" also is a statement about people not in the group, whereas "aucun/e" refers to the people in the group only.

Tous les gosses y vont, mais personne ne prend le train. -- All the guys go there, but no one took the train. (Not even people apart from the "guys").

Tous les gosses y vont, mais aucun ne prend le train. -- All the guys go there, but none (of them) took the train.

Like08 months ago

Neville asked:View original

More on personne vs aucun

R.e. this question:

Tous les gosses y vont, mais ________ prend le train.

Can anyone provide definitive guidance on this?

(Maybe the kwiziq website logic can't accommodate unanticipated responses?)

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William C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Avec + aucun d'entre eux

Can I use "avec aucun d'entre eux"

For example

I refused to share the money with any of them. J'ai refusé de partager l'argent avec aucun d'entre eux.

Asked 10 months ago

Like0Answer1

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

That sounds right to me.

Like010 months ago

William asked:View original

Avec + aucun d'entre eux

Can I use "avec aucun d'entre eux"

For example

I refused to share the money with any of them. J'ai refusé de partager l'argent avec aucun d'entre eux.

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BelindaB1Kwiziq community member

Hi - In the note on the lesson it states that 'None of them are....' is acceptable English, however, this is incorrect grammar.

The correct grammar would be to say: None of them is.... i.e. 'none' is treated as singular and hence the use of 'is' and not 'are'. Thanks again for a fantastic French course!

Asked 11 months ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Belinda,

Thanks for your comment. The "none of them is/are" debate is beyond the scope of our site, but if you do a search, you can see that many grammar experts offer examples where "are" is correct.

We're so glad you find Kwiziq useful, bonne continuation !

Like011 months ago

Belinda asked:View original

Hi - In the note on the lesson it states that 'None of them are....' is acceptable English, however, this is incorrect grammar.

The correct grammar would be to say: None of them is.... i.e. 'none' is treated as singular and hence the use of 'is' and not 'are'. Thanks again for a fantastic French course!

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JohnA1Kwiziq community member

"d'entre eux"

often refers to people. example: trois d'entre eux sont interessants as opposed to "trois d'elles". With aucun "d'entre eux" refers to both people and things?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer1

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi John,

Yes you can use aucun d'entre eux for things too.

e.g.

Ces bâtiments sont bien, mais aucun d'entre eux n'ont le haut-débit.

(These buildings are good but none of them have broadband.)

Ces modèles de voiture sont bien équipés mais aucun d'entre eux n'ont la clim.

(These car models are well equipped but none of them have air con.)

Hope this helps!

Like01 year ago

John asked:View original

"d'entre eux"

often refers to people. example: trois d'entre eux sont interessants as opposed to "trois d'elles". With aucun "d'entre eux" refers to both people and things?

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DraganaC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - books/plural

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - livres/books is plural

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer2

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Dragana,

Indeed as Chris says the verb agrees with 'aucun' and not 'livres' ...

Hope this helps!

Like01 year ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Dragana,

Aucun is singular and functions as the subject of the sentence, hence the verb needs to match the singular and therefore it is "est" and not "sont".

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Like01 year ago

Dragana asked:View original

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - books/plural

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - livres/books is plural

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MargolitC1Kwiziq community member

How do you say "I have neither a son nor a brother." ?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Margolit,

Je n'ai ni fils ni frère.

Like01 year ago

Margolit asked:View original

How do you say "I have neither a son nor a brother." ?

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LolliB1Kwiziq community member

Ont-ils répondu ? - Oui. ________ n'est intéressé.

Why is "personne" incorrect when we know we are referring to people in this question?

Asked 1 year ago

Like0Answer1

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I don't think "personne" is incorrect. It's just that in the context of this lesson you are supposed to use "aucun".

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Like01 year ago

Lolli asked:View original

Ont-ils répondu ? - Oui. ________ n'est intéressé.

Why is "personne" incorrect when we know we are referring to people in this question?

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SushB1Kwiziq community member

personne and aucun(e)--transferable or not

can I not say personne n'est venu or aucun n'est venu

Asked 2 years ago

Like0Answer2

AurélieKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Sush !

Personne always refers to a person (no one, nobody) whereas aucun/e can refer to any noun that has been previously mentioned (none / no [noun]) :)

Bonne journée !

Like02 years ago

RonC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Bonjour Sush, «personne n'est venu» translates to no one came, on the other hand «aucun n'est venu» translates to none came I get the sense from the nuance difference, the answer would like in the contextual scenario of the two phrases. Bonne chance,

Like02 years ago

Sush asked:View original

personne and aucun(e)--transferable or not

can I not say personne n'est venu or aucun n'est venu

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MeghnaC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Aucun/e and personne

Can you help understand better when either is used? With examples perhaps?

Asked 2 years ago

Like0Answer1

AurélieKwiziq team member

Bonjour Meghna ! "Personne" means "no one / nobody": "Je n'ai entendu personne." (I heard no one. / I haven't heard anyone.) "Aucun/e" means "none": "Je n'ai entendu aucune des filles." (I heard none of the girls. / I haven't heard any of the girls.) "Aucun" always needs a referent noun (none [of something]): "Je n'*en* ai aucun." (I have none *of them*.) I hope that's helpful! À bientôt !

Like22 years ago

Meghna asked:View original

Aucun/e and personne

Can you help understand better when either is used? With examples perhaps?

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StuartB1Kwiziq community member

Is the aucun d'entre eux alternative translatable as none 'between then'?

I'm just trying to work out how to remember it :)

Asked 3 years ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Stuart, If you mean "can you say 'none between them' " in English, the answer is no. If that helps you remember, great, but you can't say that in English.

Like03 years ago

Stuart asked:View original

Is the aucun d'entre eux alternative translatable as none 'between then'?

I'm just trying to work out how to remember it :)

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JenniferC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Aucune ne versus aucune d'elles

In the question 1.Alors, est-ce qu'elles viennent? - Non. ___ est intéressée. (So, are they coming? - No. None of them is interested.) why is aucune d'elles n' incorrect?

Asked 3 years ago

Like0Answer2

AurélieKwiziq team member

Bonjour Jennifer ! You are correct, "Aucune d'elles n'est intéressée" is also correct. The question has been rectified to accept this answer. Merci beaucoup et à bientôt !

Like13 years ago

JenniferC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Bonjour Aurélie, Merci pour votre réponse

Like03 years ago

Jennifer asked:View original

Aucune ne versus aucune d'elles

In the question 1.Alors, est-ce qu'elles viennent? - Non. ___ est intéressée. (So, are they coming? - No. None of them is interested.) why is aucune d'elles n' incorrect?

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AndyC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Adjective, pronoun or both?

May I check? In this lesson, in different examples I believe aucun/e ... ne is used both as a negative adjective and as a variable negative pronoun? Is this correct?

Asked 3 years ago

Like0Answer1

LauraKwiziq team member

Bonjour Andy, No, I'm afraid not - all of the examples in this lesson use aucun(e) as a variable French negative pronoun. Here's an example of aucun(e) as a negative adjective: Aucune fille n'est venue. We know aucune is an adjective because it's followed directly by a noun, in comparison to Aucune des filles n'est venue.

Like33 years ago

Andy asked:View original

Adjective, pronoun or both?

May I check? In this lesson, in different examples I believe aucun/e ... ne is used both as a negative adjective and as a variable negative pronoun? Is this correct?

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Aucun/e … ne = None of them (negation)

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Forme négative

Examples and resources

Q&A Forum 13 questions, 20 answers

Question about "De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible"

Question about "De tous les mensonges que tu as dit, aucun n'est crédible"

More on personne vs aucun

More on personne vs aucun

Avec + aucun d'entre eux

Avec + aucun d'entre eux

Hi - In the note on the lesson it states that 'None of them are....' is acceptable English, however, this is incorrect grammar.

Hi - In the note on the lesson it states that 'None of them are....' is acceptable English, however, this is incorrect grammar.

"d'entre eux"

"d'entre eux"

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - books/plural

Aucun de ses livres n'est intéressant? why not ne sont intéressant - books/plural

How do you say "I have neither a son nor a brother." ?

How do you say "I have neither a son nor a brother." ?

Ont-ils répondu ? - Oui. ________ n'est intéressé.

Ont-ils répondu ? - Oui. ________ n'est intéressé.

personne and aucun(e)--transferable or not

personne and aucun(e)--transferable or not

Aucun/e and personne

Aucun/e and personne

Is the aucun d'entre eux alternative translatable as none 'between then'?

Is the aucun d'entre eux alternative translatable as none 'between then'?

Aucune ne versus aucune d'elles

Aucune ne versus aucune d'elles

Adjective, pronoun or both?

Adjective, pronoun or both?

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