French Negation: Saying 'Nothing' (Ne...Rien)
ne...rien by placing it around the verb, but remember it jumps before the participle in past tense.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'ne...rien' to negate objects or actions, replacing 'something' with 'nothing'.
- Place 'ne' before the verb and 'rien' after the verb: 'Je ne mange rien.'
- If the verb starts with a vowel, use 'n'': 'Il n'aime rien.'
- In conversational French, the 'ne' is often dropped: 'Je mange rien.'
Overview
French negation, a cornerstone of its grammar, frequently employs a two-part structure. While ne...pas serves as the general negation for "not," ne...rien specifically translates to "nothing" or "not anything." Mastering ne...rien is crucial for expressing complete absence, emptiness, or a total lack of something. It allows for a higher degree of precision in negative statements, moving beyond a simple denial to a more absolute declaration of non-existence or non-occurrence.
This structure is pervasive in both formal and informal French, making its correct usage essential for clear and natural communication.
From a linguistic perspective, French negation often follows a bipartite pattern where ne acts as a pre-verbal marker, signaling the presence of a negation, and a second element (like rien, pas, jamais, personne) completes the negative sense, often specifying its scope. In the case of ne...rien, rien (meaning "nothing") serves as this second, specifying element, fundamentally altering the meaning from a general "not" to a definitive "nothing."
Consider the difference between Je ne sais pas. (I don't know.) and Je ne sais rien. (I know nothing.). The latter conveys a more profound lack of knowledge, emphasizing the absolute absence of information. This distinction highlights the power and specificity of ne...rien.
How This Grammar Works
ne...rien functions by framing the conjugated verb. The ne (or n' before a vowel or mute h) always precedes the verb, while rien always follows it in simple tenses. This creates a cohesive negative unit that operates around the verbal action.Rien acts primarily as an indefinite negative pronoun or adverb, which means it can replace a direct object, an indirect object (when preceded by a preposition), or an adverbial phrase related to "something."rien as the negative counterpart to quelque chose (something) or tout (everything). When you negate a sentence that might otherwise contain quelque chose, rien often steps in. For example, if you would say Je vois quelque chose. (I see something.), the negation becomes Je ne vois rien. (I see nothing.).rien directly replaces quelque chose and explicitly denies the existence of any observable thing.Rien inherently carries the meaning of "not anything," thus making the addition of pas redundant and grammatically incorrect when expressing this specific negation. The presence of rien itself fulfills the negative requirement for the second part of the negation, specifying that the verb's action applies to "nothing."ne...rien allows you to declare a comprehensive absence or non-occurrence related to a "thing." It's a statement of absolute nullity concerning the verb's object or outcome. Its placement is key: ne indicates that a negation is coming, and rien delivers the specific negative meaning, enclosing the verb in this negative frame.Formation Pattern
ne...rien adapts to various tenses and sentence structures, but the fundamental principle of ne preceding the verb and rien generally following it remains constant in simple tenses. Understanding these specific placements is vital for correct usage.
ne (or n' before a vowel or mute h) is placed directly before the conjugated verb, and rien is placed directly after it. This creates a tightly bound negative unit around the single verb form.
ne + conjugated verb + rien
Je ne dis rien. (I say nothing / I am not saying anything.)
Tu n'entends rien ? (You hear nothing / You don't hear anything?)
Il ne fera rien. (He will do nothing.)
avoir or être), and rien is positioned before the past participle. This is because ne...rien primarily negates the action facilitated by the auxiliary verb.
ne + auxiliary verb + rien + past participle
Nous n'avons rien mangé. (We ate nothing / We haven't eaten anything.)
Elles ne sont rien devenues. (They became nothing / They haven't become anything.)
Vous n'aviez rien compris. (You had understood nothing.)
ne and rien, typically precede the infinitive. They form a single block: ne rien.
ne rien + infinitive
Ils vont ne rien dire. (They are going to say nothing.)
Il est important de ne rien oublier. (It is important to forget nothing.)
J'essaie de ne rien faire. (I try to do nothing.)
ne comes before the verb and rien comes after, similar to simple tenses.
ne + verb (imperative form) + rien
Ne dis rien ! (Say nothing!)
Ne mangez rien de tout ça. (Don't eat any of that.)
Rien as the Subject of the Sentence
rien itself is the subject, it begins the sentence, followed by ne (or n') and then the conjugated verb. In this construction, rien functions as a negative pronoun filling the subject role.
Rien ne + conjugated verb
Rien n'est parfait. (Nothing is perfect.)
Rien ne bouge ici. (Nothing moves here.)
Rien ne me surprend. (Nothing surprises me.)
Ne...Rien Placement
ne + verb + rien | I see nothing. | Je ne vois rien. | Je vois rien. |
ne + aux + rien + p.p. | You said nothing. | Tu n'as rien dit. | T'as rien dit. |
ne rien + infinitive | Not to do anything. | Ne rien faire. | Rien faire. |
Rien as Subject | Rien ne + verb | Nothing works. | Rien ne marche. | Rien marche. |
When To Use It
ne...rien when you want to express the complete absence of a thing or any item, or to convey the idea of "not anything" in response to a question involving "what" or "something."- To denote the absence of a direct object: This is its most common application. If a verb would normally take a direct object,
ne...rieneffectively states that there is no such object. Qu'est-ce que tu as trouvé ?(What did you find?)Je n'ai rien trouvé.(I found nothing.)Elle ne voit rien dans l'obscurité.(She sees nothing in the dark.)
- To state a lack of activity or involvement: When the action of the verb is directed at "nothing" specific.
Que faites-vous ?(What are you doing?)Je ne fais rien.(I'm doing nothing.)Ils n'ont rien dit sur le sujet.(They said nothing about the subject.)
- As a standalone negative answer: When asked a question about "what," a simple
Riencan suffice in informal contexts. Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ?(What's wrong / What's up?)Rien.(Nothing.)
- In common fixed expressions: Many idiomatic phrases incorporate
rien. Rien de nouveau.(Nothing new.)Rien de spécial.(Nothing special.)Ce n'est rien.(It's nothing / It's not important.)Il n'y a rien à faire.(There's nothing to do.)
- To emphasize emptiness or a void: Describing a situation where literally nothing exists or remains.
Le frigo est vide, il n'y a rien dedans.(The fridge is empty, there's nothing in it.)Après le départ, il n'y avait plus rien.(After the departure, there was nothing left.)
- To form complex negative clauses involving
de: Whenrienis followed by an adjective or a past participle to specify the nature of the "nothing." Il n'y a rien d'intéressant à la télé.(There's nothing interesting on TV.)Elle n'a rien bu de spécial.(She didn't drink anything special.)
Je ne sais pas and Je ne sais rien can subtly convey your level of engagement or knowledge. Je ne sais rien often implies a more absolute, sometimes dismissive, lack of information or understanding on a broader topic, whereas Je ne sais pas might simply mean you don't know the answer to a specific question. This nuance makes ne...rien a powerful tool for expressing absolute ignorance or detachment.When Not To Use It
ne...rien is versatile, it is crucial to understand its limitations and avoid using it in situations where a different negation is required. Misusing rien can lead to grammatical errors or unintended meanings.- When expressing a general "not": If the negation simply means "not" and doesn't refer to "nothing" or "not anything," use
ne...pas. - Incorrect:
Je ne parle rien français.(Intended: I don't speak French.) - Correct:
Je ne parle pas français.
- With other negative pronouns or adverbs: French typically employs only one modifying negative word (e.g.,
rien,personne,jamais,plus) alongsideneto form a complete negation. Combiningrienwithpasor other negative terms usually results in a grammatically incorrect double negative that does not strengthen the negation. (Note: Some complex structures can have multiple negative elements, but these are exceptions for advanced levels). - Incorrect:
Je n'ai pas rien vu.(This does not mean "I saw nothing.") - Correct:
Je n'ai rien vu.(I saw nothing.)
- When referring to "no one" or "nobody":
Rienrefers to things, not people. For negating people, usene...personne. - Incorrect:
Je n'ai vu rien à la fête.(Intended: I saw nobody at the party.) - Correct:
Je n'ai vu personne à la fête.
- When referring to "never":
Rienrefers to things/actions, not time. For negating frequency, usene...jamais. - Incorrect:
Je ne mange rien au restaurant.(Intended: I never eat at the restaurant.) - Correct:
Je ne mange jamais au restaurant.
- When referring to "no longer" or "not anymore": For a negation of duration or cessation, use
ne...plus. - Incorrect:
Il ne travaille rien ici.(Intended: He no longer works here.) - Correct:
Il ne travaille plus ici.
Rien specifically negates the presence of things or actions as things. Conflating it with other negative elements disrupts the precision of French negation.Common Mistakes
ne...rien. Identifying and understanding the reasons behind these errors is crucial for achieving grammatical accuracy.- Incorrect Placement in Compound Tenses (The "Rien after Participle" Error): This is perhaps the most prevalent mistake. Learners, influenced by English word order ("I ate nothing"), often place
rienafter the past participle in compound tenses. - Incorrect:
J'ai mangé rien. - Correct:
Je n'ai rien mangé.(I ate nothing.)
ne...rien, the ne and rien form a negation around the conjugated verb. In compound tenses, the conjugated verb is the auxiliary (avoir or être). Therefore, rien must logically follow the auxiliary, creating ne + auxiliary + rien + past participle.- Omitting
Nein Formal Contexts: While widely accepted and common in informal spoken French, texting, and social media (J'ai rien vu), dropping thenein written French, academic work, or formal conversations is a significant grammatical error. Theneis a fundamental part of the formal negation structure. - Informal (spoken/text):
On a rien fait.(We did nothing.) - Formal (written/spoken):
On n'a rien fait.orNous n'avons rien fait.
ne in any situation requiring standard or formal French.- Using
PaswithRien(Double Negation Error): Attempting to combinene...paswithrienresults in an incorrect and often confusing construction likeJe ne mange pas rien.This does not mean "I eat nothing"; it can sometimes imply "I do eat something," effectively canceling out the negation, or it is simply ungrammatical.Rienalready signifies "not anything";pasbecomes redundant and erroneous. - Incorrect:
Il ne voit pas rien. - Correct:
Il ne voit rien.(He sees nothing.)
- Incorrect Apostrophe Usage with
Ne: Forgetting to contractneton'before a verb starting with a vowel or a mutehis a common phonetic and grammatical slip. - Incorrect:
Je ne ai rien compris. - Correct:
Je n'ai rien compris.(I understood nothing.) - Incorrect:
Elle ne a rien fait. - Correct:
Elle n'a rien fait.(She did nothing.)
- Confusing
RienwithPersonneorJamais: While all three usene, their meanings and placements (especiallypersonnein compound tenses) differ significantly.Rienis for "things,"personnefor "people," andjamaisfor "time/frequency." Je n'ai rien vu.(I saw nothing.)Je n'ai vu personne.(I saw nobody.) – Notepersonnecomes after the past participle in compound tenses.Je n'ai jamais vu ça.(I have never seen that.) –jamaisbehaves likerienin terms of placement in compound tenses.
Rienin the sense of "anything" in questions: In English, "anything" can be used in negative statements or questions. In French, whilerienforms the negative,quelque choseis used for "anything" in questions that expect a positive or negative answer.As-tu vu quelque chose ?(Did you see anything?)- NOT
As-tu vu rien ?
ne...rien and enhance their fluency.Real Conversations
Understanding how ne...rien is used by native speakers in authentic contexts reveals its flexibility and nuances, distinguishing between formal correctness and everyday usage.
- Informal Spoken French / Texting: The most striking feature of ne...rien in casual conversation and informal written communication (like texts or social media) is the frequent omission of ne. This simplification is characteristic of modern spoken French and is perfectly acceptable among friends, family, or in very informal settings.
- Formal: Je ne sais rien à ce sujet. (I know nothing about this subject.)
- Informal: Je sais rien à ce sujet.
- Formal: Il n'a rien dit. (He said nothing.)
- Informal: Il a rien dit. or Il a rien dit du tout. (He said absolutely nothing.)
Learners should recognize this pattern but maintain ne in formal settings. This flexibility is a key aspect of contemporary French.
- Standalone Rien: When an implied verb is obvious from context, rien can stand alone as a complete negative answer. This is concise and common.
- Qu'est-ce que tu as fait ce week-end ? (What did you do this weekend?)
- Rien. (Nothing.)
- Il y a un problème ? (Is there a problem?)
- Non, rien. (No, nothing.)
- Common Expressions and Idioms: Rien is embedded in numerous everyday phrases, which are essential to recognize.
- Rien de neuf ? (What's new? / Anything new?) – Often answered with Rien de spécial. (Nothing special.)
- Ça ne fait rien. (It doesn't matter / Never mind.) – A very common expression of dismissal.
- Il n'y a rien à redire. (There's nothing to complain about / It's perfect.)
- Rien du tout. (Nothing at all.) – Used for emphasis.
- Je n'ai rien du tout. (I have absolutely nothing.)
- Ce n'est rien. (It's nothing / Don't worry about it.) – Used to reassure someone.
- Liaison with Rien: Pay attention to liaison, especially when rien is followed by a word starting with a vowel. Although rien ends in a consonant that is usually silent, liaison can occur in certain contexts, particularly in formal or sustained speech.
- Rien n'est impossible. (Nothing is impossible.) – The 'n' from n'est links to rien, creating a subtle [ʁjɛ̃nɛ] sound.
- Rien à faire. (Nothing to do.) – The n from rien might sometimes be slightly pronounced and link to à in fluid speech: [ʁjɛ̃na fɛʁ]. However, this is less systematic than with nous or vous. The important point is the silent 'n' at the end of rien when followed by a consonant or a pause.
These real-world applications underscore that while grammatical rules provide a framework, native speech often involves pragmatic adjustments, particularly in informal contexts. Recognizing both formal and informal usage allows learners to adapt their communication style appropriately.
Progressive Practice
Consistent and varied practice is essential for internalizing the correct use of ne...rien. Start with foundational exercises and gradually move to more complex applications.
1. Basic Sentence Negation (Present Tense):
Begin by transforming simple affirmative sentences into negative ones using ne...rien. Focus on correct placement.
- Affirmative: Je vois quelque chose. (I see something.)
- Negative: Je ne vois rien. (I see nothing.)
- Affirmative: Il y a quelque chose dans la boîte. (There is something in the box.)
- Negative: Il n'y a rien dans la boîte. (There is nothing in the box.)
- Affirmative: Tu dis quelque chose ? (Are you saying something?)
- Negative: Tu ne dis rien ? (Are you saying nothing? / Aren't you saying anything?)
2. Compound Tenses (Passé Composé Focus):
Practice forming ne...rien in the Passé Composé, paying close attention to the placement of rien before the past participle.
- Affirmative: J'ai acheté quelque chose. (I bought something.)
- Negative: Je n'ai rien acheté. (I bought nothing.)
- Affirmative: Nous avons compris tout. (We understood everything.)
- Negative: Nous n'avons rien compris. (We understood nothing.)
- Affirmative: Elle est devenue quelque chose. (She became something.)
- Negative: Elle n'est rien devenue. (She became nothing.)
3. Infinitives and Rien as Subject:
Target structures where ne rien precedes the infinitive or where rien acts as the sentence subject.
- Infinitive: Il faut oublier quelque chose. (One must forget something.)
- Negative: Il faut ne rien oublier. (One must forget nothing.)
- Subject: Quelque chose m'inquiète. (Something worries me.)
- Negative: Rien ne m'inquiète. (Nothing worries me.)
4. Differentiating Negations:
Practice choosing the correct negation (ne...pas, ne...rien, ne...personne, ne...jamais) based on context.
- Scenario: You don't know the answer to a specific question.
- Je ne sais pas. (I don't know.)
- Scenario: You have no knowledge about a topic whatsoever.
- Je ne sais rien. (I know nothing.)
- Scenario: You haven't seen any people.
- Je n'ai vu personne. (I saw nobody.)
- Scenario: You haven't seen anything specific.
- Je n'ai rien vu. (I saw nothing.)
5. Translation and Interpretation:
Translate sentences from English to French and vice versa, paying attention to the nuances of "nothing" and "anything."
- "He has nothing to do." → Il n'a rien à faire.
- "Nothing is impossible." → Rien n'est impossible.
- "I didn't say anything." → Je n'ai rien dit.
These exercises, performed regularly, will solidify your understanding and automatic recall of ne...rien in all its forms.
Quick FAQ
rien be used on its own, without ne?Yes, absolutely! In informal contexts, especially as a direct, short answer to a question, Rien alone is very common. For example, Qu'est-ce que tu veux ? (What do you want?) Rien. (Nothing.)
rien change for feminine or plural nouns? Does it agree in gender or number?No. Rien is an invariable pronoun. It does not change its form to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with anything it might replace or refer to. It always remains rien.
To add emphasis, use rien du tout. The phrase du tout intensifies the negation.
Je ne sais rien du tout.(I know absolutely nothing at all.)Il n'a rien mangé du tout.(He ate absolutely nothing at all.)
Il n'y a rien and Il n'y a pas quelque chose?Il n'y a rien (There is nothing) is the standard and correct way to express absolute absence. Il n'y a pas quelque chose is grammatically awkward and rarely used; quelque chose typically appears in affirmative statements or questions expecting a 'yes' or 'no' response, not generally with ne...pas to mean "nothing." Stick with Il n'y a rien.
For "nothing more" or "nothing else," you combine plus (no longer) with rien to form ne...plus rien.
Il n'y a plus rien à faire.(There's nothing more to do.)Je ne vois plus rien.(I no longer see anything / I see nothing more.)
rien is an indirect object, e.g., "I don't think about anything"?When rien functions as an indirect object, it retains its standard placement, and the preposition (like à or de) precedes rien.
Je ne pense à rien.(I don't think about anything.)Il ne parle de rien.(He doesn't talk about anything.)
ne always mandatory in written French?Yes, for grammatically correct and formal written French, the ne is always mandatory. While it's often dropped in casual spoken French, its omission in writing is considered incorrect and should be avoided in academic, professional, or formal contexts.
rien modify an adjective?Rien can precede de + an adjective to specify the nature of the "nothing."
Il n'y a rien de bon.(There is nothing good.)Elle n'a rien dit de méchant.(She didn't say anything mean.)
ne...rien.Standard Negation Pattern
| Subject | Ne/N' | Verb | Rien |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Je
|
ne
|
mange
|
rien
|
|
Tu
|
ne
|
fais
|
rien
|
|
Il
|
n'
|
aime
|
rien
|
|
Nous
|
ne
|
voyons
|
rien
|
|
Vous
|
ne
|
dites
|
rien
|
|
Ils
|
ne
|
savent
|
rien
|
Passé Composé Placement
| Subject | Ne/N' | Auxiliary | Rien | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Je
|
n'
|
ai
|
rien
|
mangé
|
|
Tu
|
n'
|
as
|
rien
|
fait
|
|
Il
|
n'
|
a
|
rien
|
vu
|
Meanings
The construction 'ne...rien' is used to express the absence of an object or an action, translating to 'nothing' or 'not anything'.
Direct Object Negation
Negating the direct object of a sentence.
“Je ne veux rien.”
“Tu ne fais rien.”
Subject Negation
Using 'rien' as the subject of a sentence.
“Rien ne va.”
“Rien ne change.”
Short Answer
Responding to a question with 'nothing'.
“— Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? — Rien.”
“— Qu'est-ce qu'il a dit ? — Rien du tout.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Verb + Object
|
Je mange quelque chose.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + ne + Verb + rien
|
Je ne mange rien.
|
|
Question
|
Est-ce que + Subject + Verb + rien ?
|
Est-ce que tu ne manges rien ?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Rien
|
— Qu'est-ce que tu manges ? — Rien.
|
|
Subject Usage
|
Rien + ne + Verb
|
Rien ne va.
|
|
Infinitive
|
ne + rien + Infinitive
|
Il veut ne rien dire.
|
Formality Spectrum
Je ne fais rien. (Daily life)
Je ne fais rien. (Daily life)
Je fais rien. (Daily life)
Je fous rien. (Daily life)
Negation Map
Objects
- rien nothing
People
- personne nobody
Negation vs Affirmation
Where does 'rien' go?
Is it a simple verb?
Negation Types
Objects
- • rien
- • aucun
People
- • personne
Examples by Level
Je ne mange rien.
I eat nothing.
Il ne dit rien.
He says nothing.
Tu ne fais rien ?
Are you doing nothing?
Je ne vois rien.
I see nothing.
Je n'ai rien acheté.
I bought nothing.
Elle ne veut rien savoir.
She wants to know nothing.
Nous ne trouvons rien.
We find nothing.
Ils ne savent rien.
They know nothing.
Rien ne me fait peur.
Nothing scares me.
Il a décidé de ne rien dire.
He decided to say nothing.
Je n'ai rien vu de spécial.
I saw nothing special.
Rien ne change ici.
Nothing changes here.
Il ne lui a rien donné.
He gave him nothing.
Rien de ce qu'il a dit n'est vrai.
Nothing he said is true.
Je ne peux rien faire pour vous.
I can do nothing for you.
Il n'y a rien à faire.
There is nothing to do.
Rien ne saurait justifier cet acte.
Nothing could justify this act.
Je ne lui ai rien fait faire.
I made him do nothing.
Il n'en sait rien du tout.
He knows nothing about it at all.
Rien n'est plus beau que cela.
Nothing is more beautiful than that.
Rien ne m'empêchera de réussir.
Nothing will stop me from succeeding.
Il ne lui reste rien de son héritage.
Nothing of his inheritance remains.
Rien n'est moins sûr que cette hypothèse.
Nothing is less certain than this hypothesis.
Il ne se passe rien d'intéressant.
Nothing interesting is happening.
Easily Confused
Both are negative pronouns.
Both mean 'none/nothing'.
Both are used in negation.
Common Mistakes
Je rien mange
Je ne mange rien
Je ne mange pas rien
Je ne mange rien
Rien je mange
Je mange rien
Je ne mange rien de
Je ne mange rien
J'ai mangé rien
Je n'ai rien mangé
Je ne rien ai mangé
Je n'ai rien mangé
Il ne veut rien faire pas
Il ne veut rien faire
Rien je fais
Rien ne va
Il a décidé de ne pas rien dire
Il a décidé de ne rien dire
Je ne vois personne rien
Je ne vois rien
Rien ne saurait pas justifier
Rien ne saurait justifier
Il n'en sait rien pas
Il n'en sait rien
Je ne lui ai rien fait pas faire
Je ne lui ai rien fait faire
Sentence Patterns
Je ne ___ rien.
Je n'ai rien ___.
Rien ne me ___.
Il a décidé de ne rien ___.
Real World Usage
Je ne veux rien d'autre.
Je fais rien.
Je n'ai rien à ajouter.
Je n'ai rien dans mon sac.
Rien ne va plus !
Je n'ai rien reçu.
The Sandwich Rule
No Pas
Spoken French
Emphasis
Smart Tips
Place 'rien' between the auxiliary and the participle.
Drop the 'ne' for a natural flow.
Don't forget the 'ne' before the verb.
Use 'de' before the adjective.
Pronunciation
Liaison
The 'n'' in 'n'ai' is pronounced with the following vowel.
Rien pronunciation
The 'ien' sounds like a nasal 'an'.
Falling
Je ne vois rien. ↘
Statement of fact.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Rien is like a ring—it circles the verb to keep it empty.
Visual Association
Imagine a hungry person holding an empty plate. The plate is the 'rien' that follows the action of eating.
Rhyme
Pour dire 'nothing', c'est très bien: mets le verbe entre 'ne' et 'rien'.
Story
Pierre goes to the fridge. He looks inside. He sees no food. He says, 'Je ne vois rien.' He closes the door and sighs.
Word Web
Challenge
For the next 5 minutes, describe everything you are NOT doing using 'Je ne...rien'.
Cultural Notes
In France, dropping 'ne' is standard in speech.
Quebecois speakers often use 'rien' with more emphasis.
Usage is similar to France but often more formal in writing.
Comes from Latin 'rem' (thing).
Conversation Starters
Qu'est-ce que tu fais ce week-end ?
Qu'est-ce que tu as mangé ce matin ?
Qu'est-ce que tu penses de ce film ?
Qu'est-ce qu'il a dit à la réunion ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Je ne ___ rien.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Je ne mange pas rien.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I see nothing.
Answer starts with: Je ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Il (ne...rien) faire.
— Tu as vu quelque chose ? — Non, ___.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesJe ne ___ rien.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Je ne mange pas rien.
rien / mange / ne / je
I see nothing.
Je n'ai rien fait.
Il (ne...rien) faire.
— Tu as vu quelque chose ? — Non, ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesIl n'a ___ dit à son patron.
Je ne veux pas rien.
reçu / n' / je / rien / ai
Nothing is ready.
Answer 'I'm doing nothing' correctly.
Match the pairs:
On ne va ___ faire ce soir.
Elle n'a compris rien.
Translate the sentence.
Pick the casual version:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, 'rien' is already negative. Adding 'pas' is redundant.
Between the auxiliary verb and the past participle: 'J'ai rien mangé'.
In formal writing, yes. In casual speech, it is often dropped.
Yes, as in 'Rien ne va'.
Use 'rien de spécial'.
It is a negative pronoun.
Rien is for things, personne is for people.
Yes, as a short answer to a question.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
no...nada
Spanish 'nada' can be used alone as a subject, while 'rien' usually needs 'ne' as a subject.
nichts
German does not require a double particle like 'ne...rien'.
nani mo...nai
Japanese particles are post-positional.
la...shay
Arabic negation is prefix-based.
shenme dou bu...
Chinese does not have verb conjugation.
nothing
English avoids double negatives.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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