Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| personne | /pɛʁ.sɔn/ |
| nul | /nyl/ |
| qui que ce soit | /ki k(ə) sə swa/ |
The primary way to express 'no one' is through the word personne. It is important to note that personne can mean both 'person' (as a noun) and 'no one' (as a pronoun). It only functions as the pronoun meaning 'no one' when it is used within a negative construction.
Which one should you use?
While personne is the standard pronoun for 'no one', the pack also provides nul and qui que ce soit as alternative forms.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using personne as the subject of a sentence, it is followed by the particle ne and the verb, such as in Personne ne sait. In this subject position, the verb that follows must be conjugated in the singular form. When personne is used as an object, it must be paired with the negative particle ne to mean 'no one' (ne … personne).
How do you pronounce it?
/pɛʁ.sɔn/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to include the particle ne before the verb. However, in standard French, personne requires ne to function as 'no one'.
Did you know?
- The etymology of personne traces back to the Latin persona, a term used by ancient actors to describe the masks they wore during performances.
- In casual spoken French, the required ne is almost always dropped, meaning the word personne sounds identical whether it is used as a noun or a negative pronoun.
- The phrase qui que ce soit is often used after a negative to add extreme emphasis, similar to saying 'not a single soul' in English.
Examples in context
- Il n’y a personne.There's no one there.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 'Il n’y a personne.' with personne.Tatoeba #12250330 by sacredceltic, translation #3408805 by CK
- Personne ne m'a vu.No one saw me.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 'Personne ne m'a vu.' with personne.Tatoeba #2093140 by Amastan, translation #2891760 by CK
- Personne ne le sut.No one knew it.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 'Personne ne le sut.' with personne.Tatoeba #3647435 by sacredceltic, translation #703345 by papabear
- Il n'y a personne ici.There is no one here.
- Personne n'est venu à la réunion.No one came to the meeting.
- Je ne connais personne dans cette ville.I don't know anyone in this city.
- Aucun étudiant n'a réussi cet examen difficile.No student passed this difficult exam.
- Personne ne veut venir ?Nobody wants to come?
- Il n'y a personne à la maison.There's nobody at home.
- Aucun de mes amis n'aime cette musique.None of my friends likes this music.
- Personne ne parle.No one is speaking.
- 1475 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are looking for someone in an empty office.
- ChloéEst-ce que quelqu'un est là ?Is anyone there?
- NathanNon, je pense qu'il n'y a personne.No, I think there is no one.
- ChloéPersonne n'est venu nous aider ?No one came to help us?
- NathanNon, personne n'est là aujourd'hui.No, no one is here today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no one” translations and entries personne, nul, qui que ce soit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nul, personne, que, qui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
