Ne ... ni ... ni = Neither ... nor (French Negations)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2023-01-18
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Whereas in English you have three ways to express the negation - not either… or / neither… nor… / not... or... - in French, you only use ne... ni... ni...

Negative sentences with "ne ... ni ... ni" in French

Je n'ai regardé ni Dexter ni Breaking Bad.I haven't watched either Dexter or Breaking Bad.

Tu n'avais envie ni de sortir, ni de voir du monde.You didn't want to go out or see people.

Je ne veux ni chanter ni danser.I neither want to sing nor dance.

ATTENTION:

Most of the time with ni with nouns, you omit the article when it comes right after ni, unless you're using a definite article (le, la, l', les).

- Est-ce qu'elle mange du pain ? - Elle ne mange ni pain, ni pâtes, ni riz.- Does she eat bread? - She doesn't eat bread, pasta or rice.
 

Il n'a ni frères ni sœurs ni cousins.He has neither brothers nor sisters nor cousins.


-> Note that you can use ni... more than twice.

 

- Tu aimes le fromage ? - Je n'aime ni le fromage ni le lait.- Do you like cheese ? - I like neither cheese nor milk.

- Tu vas goûter les huîtres ou le saumon ? - Je ne vais goûter ni les huîtres, ni le saumon.- Are you going to try the oysters or the salmon? - I'm not going to try either the oysters or the salmon.

 

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Examples and resources

Je ne veux ni chanter ni danser.I neither want to sing nor dance.
Je n'ai regardé ni Dexter ni Breaking Bad.I haven't watched either Dexter or Breaking Bad.
Tu n'avais envie ni de sortir, ni de voir du monde.You didn't want to go out or see people.
- Est-ce qu'elle mange du pain ? - Elle ne mange ni pain, ni pâtes, ni riz.- Does she eat bread? - She doesn't eat bread, pasta or rice.
- Tu aimes le fromage ? - Je n'aime ni le fromage ni le lait.- Do you like cheese ? - I like neither cheese nor milk.
Il n'a ni frères ni sœurs ni cousins.He has neither brothers nor sisters nor cousins.
- Est-ce qu'il veut du vin ou de la bière ? - Il ne veut ni vin ni bière.- Does he want wine or beer? - He doesn't want wine or beer.
- Tu vas goûter les huîtres ou le saumon ? - Je ne vais goûter ni les huîtres, ni le saumon.- Are you going to try the oysters or the salmon? - I'm not going to try either the oysters or the salmon.
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