moi non plus
moi non plus is the French way to say "me neither" or to agree with a negative statement.
This phrase is used to indicate that a negative statement made by someone else also applies to you. It is a standalone response used after a sentence that contains a negation, such as ne… pas.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "me not more" or "me not also".
Which one should you use?
You should use moi aussi to agree with a positive statement (meaning "me too"), whereas moi non plus is strictly for agreeing with a negative statement.
How does it change in a sentence?
moi non plus functions as a complete response to a sentence containing a negation like ne… pas.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use moi aussi to agree with a negative statement, such as responding to "I don't like that" with "me too". In French, you must use moi non plus in these cases.
Did you know?
- While moi non plus means 'me neither', if you respond to a negative statement with moi aussi, you are actually contradicting the speaker by saying 'I do'.
- The world-famous song 'Je ne t'aime plus' by Serge Gainsbourg utilizes the logic of plus to signal a change in feelings, playing on the same root word used in moi non plus.
- While standard French uses moi, regional forms of the pronoun used in this phrase include 'moè' in Picard and 'mei' in Norman.
Examples in context
- C'est pareil pour moi. Je ne suis pas prêt non plus.It's the same for me. I'm not ready either.
- Je n'aime pas le café. Moi non plus.I don't like coffee. Me neither.
- Moi non plus, je n'aime pas le café.Me neither, I don't like coffee.
- Moi non plus, je n'ai pas compris la question.Me neither, I didn't understand the question.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their lack of interest in a movie.
- LucasJe n'aime pas ce film du tout.I don't like this movie at all.
- ManonMoi non plus, il est vraiment ennuyeux.Me neither, it is really boring.
- LucasTu n'as pas envie de rester ?Don't you want to stay?
- ManonNon, je ne veux pas rester non plus.No, I don't want to stay either.
