NE … QUE
AUDIO by a French native speaker
Ne is a funny word. It’s a small, yet powerful word. It’s mostly used in negative sentences. However, sometimes, NE is used differently.
When NE is used on its own
1. NE can be used on its own to create a sophisticated sentence.
Je ne sais pourquoi vous êtes partis si tôt.
Check when NE is used on its own here.
2. NE (without the PAS) can add a negative undertone to a sentence. That's called an expletive NE.
Je crains qu’il ne fasse une crise.
See how the French expletive NE works here.
When NE … QUE means ‘ALL… IS, ONLY, JUST, SHOULD…'
3. When combined with QUE, it means ‘only’, and that's what we're looking into in the worksheet.
- Elle n’aime que le chocolat noir.
- She only likes dark chocolate.
In today’s French task, you need to find all the different translations of NE… QUE.
Phrases en français
- Nous n’avions que la vaisselle à faire.
- Je ne pense qu’à manger.
- Il ne fait que des bêtises.
- Nous n’avons plus que deux heures avant le départ.
- Pourquoi n’y a-t-il que trois assiettes sur la table ?
- On n’a qu’à dire à tes amis.
- Vous n’avez qu’à sortir.
English sentences
- All we had to do was the dishes.
- All I think about is eating.
- Drivel is all he does.
- We only have two hours before departure.
- Why are there only three plates on the table?
- Let’s just tell your friends.
- You should just go out.
Continue here with more examples in French
Related : Negative sentences – 1 . Negative sentences – 2 . Negative sentences – 3 . Test . French Expletive NE . Y a …. que/qui .
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