Je ne partirai pas d'ici à moins que nous ne décidions où nous allions/irons?
Ou peut-être:
Je ne paritrai pas d'ici à moins que nous ne décidions où aller?
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 + ne explétif + 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 Forum 5 questions, 5 answers
Sauf que plus indicative is synonymous with a moins que + subjunctive, but was marked incorrect in quiz. Suggest that lesson mentions this alternative
Asked 5 months ago
Larry asked:View original
Sauf que plus indicative is synonymous with a moins que + subjunctive, but was marked incorrect in quiz. Suggest that lesson mentions this alternative
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Bill asked:View original
Bonsoir - could someone help me with the below sentence?
Je ne partirai pas d'ici à moins que nous ne décidions où nous allions/irons?
Ou peut-être:
Je ne paritrai pas d'ici à moins que nous ne décidions où aller?
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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.
Asked 10 years ago
AurélieKwiziq language super star
Bonjour Michael !
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 !
Michael asked:View original
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.
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Here là versus ici
In the sentence unless you are here, is it the mood that requires here to be translated as là rather than ici?
Asked 10 years ago
GruffKwiziq language super star
Hi Jennifer - in French the expression "être là" has a more general meaning of being present so it is less specific than "ici" which would mean here in this specific location. Depending on the context it might mean "is there" instead, for example.
Jennifer asked:View original
Here là versus ici
In the sentence unless you are here, is it the mood that requires here to be translated as là rather than ici?
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AurélieKwiziq language super star
Bonjour Arash !
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 !
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