Hi can you pls explain how to use " on ose à peine dire/ énoncer"
These sentences use the negative expression ne... guère (hardly):
Il n'y avait guère de nourriture en ce temps-là.
There wasn't much food in those times.
Je n'ai guère le temps.
I hardly have time.
Note that the negation ne... guère means not much / not very or hardly depending on context.
It is quite an old-fashioned expression, rarely used nowadays, but you could find it in older novels or articles.
As with other negative expressions, the verb is placed between ne and guère.
ATTENTION:
Guère can never be used on its own to express hardly.
Instead, you would use the expression à peine:
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Q&A Forum 5 questions, 8 answers
Devesh asked:View original
How to use on ose à peine
Hi can you pls explain how to use " on ose à peine dire/ énoncer"
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DonaldKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Je ne pense guère
N'aurait-on pas besoin d'utiliser le mot <en> avec cette phrase? Sinon, la phrase n'a pas de sens. Je n'en pense guère ou j'en pense à peine. J'ai à peine le temps de le faire... I hardly have time to do it. Merci, Don
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Donald,
As the verb penser is followed by 'à' , it would be,
'Je n'y pense guère' or 'je n'y pense à peine'...
Hope this answers your question...
Donald asked:View original
Je ne pense guère
N'aurait-on pas besoin d'utiliser le mot <en> avec cette phrase? Sinon, la phrase n'a pas de sens. Je n'en pense guère ou j'en pense à peine. J'ai à peine le temps de le faire... I hardly have time to do it. Merci, Don
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CrystalMaidenKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
I heard about ne guère de monde, what's the distinction there?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi CrystalMaiden,
Do you mean:
"Il n'y a guère de monde" ="There's hardly anyone here". ?
You would use 'guère' in an answer (without the ne).
e.g.
Aimez-vous l' art moderne? - Guère (meaning not really).
But it does sound a bit stilted...
CrystalMaidenKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Yes, what makes it different from guère, since it can be used in the same situations?
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SueKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
"Hardly" eg can you swim? answer "hardly"
English can respond to a question by saying hardly can it be used in the same way in french. thank you
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Sue !
This is an interesting question: in this case "guère" can never be used on its own.
If you wanted to express "hardly" in the mentioned context, you would use the expression "à peine":
"Sais-tu nager ? - À peine."
I've now added a note to the lesson.
Merci beaucoup et à bientôt !
Sue asked:View original
"Hardly" eg can you swim? answer "hardly"
English can respond to a question by saying hardly can it be used in the same way in french. thank you
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MikeKwiziq community member
So if it is an old fashion expression, how do you express this in modern French?
Asked 4 years ago
LauraKwiziq team member
Bonjour Mike,
There are a few different ways.
Il n'y avait guère de nourriture > Il n'y avait pas beaucoup de nourriture, Il y avait très peu de nourriture.
Je n'ai guère le temps > J'ai à peine le temps, j'ai à peine assez de temps.
Nous ne nous en soucions guère > Nous nous en soucions très peu, Nous ne nous en soucions presque pas.
JohnnyKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
What is the difference in usage between à peine and peu or pas beaucoup? Can you use à peine in all three of your examples above? Thanks.
Mike asked:View original
So if it is an old fashion expression, how do you express this in modern French?
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