Nouns Verbs Utility Words Negations & Restrictive

French Negations & Restrictive Adverbs

Restrictive Negations

French English Meaning Example
ne ... queonlyJe ne bois que du thé. → I only drink tea.
ne ... rien d'autre quenothing butIl ne veut rien d'autre que du silence. → He wants nothing but silence.
ne ... guère quehardly anything butIl ne mange guère que du pain. → He hardly eats anything but bread.
ne ... point queonly (formal/literary)Je ne fais point que mon devoir. → I only do my duty.
ne ... pas d'autre ... queno other ... thanIl n’a pas d’autre solution que de partir. → He has no other choice but to leave.
ne ... pas tant que çanot so muchIl n’aime pas tant que ça les films d’horreur. → He doesn’t like horror movies that much.

Absolute Negations

French English Meaning Example
ne ... pasnotJe ne sais pas. → I do not know.
ne ... plusno longer, not anymoreIl ne fume plus. → He no longer smokes.
ne ... jamaisneverElle ne voyage jamais. → She never travels.
ne ... riennothingJe ne vois rien. → I see nothing.
ne ... personneno one, nobodyIl ne connaît personne ici. → He knows no one here.
ne ... aucun(e)not a single, noneJe n’ai aucun livre. → I don’t have a single book.
ne ... nulle partnowhereIl ne va nulle part. → He is going nowhere.
ne ... guèrehardly, scarcely (formal)Il ne lit guère. → He hardly reads.

Restrictive Adverbs

French English Meaning Example
seulementonlyJe veux seulement du café. → I only want coffee.
justejust, onlyIl est juste parti. → He just left.
uniquementexclusively, onlyCe produit est uniquement en ligne. → This product is only available online.
rien quenothing but, onlyRien que d’y penser, j’ai faim. → Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
à peinebarely, hardlyIl a à peine dormi cette nuit. → He barely slept last night.
tant seulementonly if, just (rare)Tant seulement tu m’avais écouté! → If only you had listened to me!