Look at these sentences:
Je l'aiderai à moins que vous ne le fassiez.
I'll help him unless you do it.
La date est arrêtée à moins que nous ne changions nos plans.
The date is set unless we change our plans.
On peut aller au cinéma à moins que tu ne veuilles aller autre part.
We can go to the cinema unless you want to go somewhere else.
Je te crois à moins que tu ne m'aies menti.
I believe you unless you lied to me.
To express unless + verb (= unless you do it) in French is a bit more complicated:
à moins que + subject + ne explétif + the verb in Subjonctif présent or Subjonctif passé
Note that in speech, the ne explétif can be dropped.
Je l'aiderai à moins que vous ne le fassiez.
See Understanding the 'ne' explétif
as well as other similar expressions using subordinating conjunctions:
Sans que (+ ne explétif) + Le Subjonctif = Without doing
Avant que + ne explétif + Le Subjonctif = Before I do
De peur que + Le Subjonctif = For fear that
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
La date est arrêtée à moins que nous ne changions nos plans.
The date is set unless we change our plans.
Je te crois à moins que tu ne m'aies menti.
I believe you unless you lied to me.
Je l'aiderai à moins que vous ne le fassiez.
I'll help him unless you do it.
Henri va gagner la course à moins que Thomas ne coure plus vite.
Henri is going to win the race unless Thomas runs faster.
On peut aller au cinéma à moins que tu ne veuilles aller autre part.
We can go to the cinema unless you want to go somewhere else.
Q&A
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
9/08/17
Jennifer
Kwiziq community member
10/08/17
Arash
Kwiziq community member
15 April 2017
1 reply
How would you say " I do it unless you are NOT here".
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
18/04/17
To make the verb after "à moins que" negative, you will use "ne" + "PAS". That's how you'll make the difference with the "ne explétif", as the negation is carried by "pas" here:
"Je le ferai à moins que tu ne sois *pas* là."
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Michael
Kwiziq community member
9 August 2017
1 reply
ne expletif
If the 'ne' is optional why are you marking down? Also in a previous explanation we are told that following a negative main clause we cannot use a 'ne' expletif....? Have I misunderstood? Please address both points.
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10 August 2017
10/08/17
The note you're mentioning only applies to the case of "sans que" :)
The reason we're marking the absence of the "ne" slightly down is that in written form, it is compulsory, though as we mentioned in the lesson, it can be dropped in speech.
Bonne journée !