personne ne t'aime
The English phrase "no one likes you" is translated into French as personne ne t'aime.
This phrase is used to state that a person is disliked by everyone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on who is being spoken to or about. To say "no one likes you" to a group of people or in a formal setting, replace t' with vous to get personne ne vous aime. To say "no one likes him" or "no one likes her", replace t' with l' to get personne ne l'aime.
What mistakes should you avoid?
In standard written French, the word ne is grammatically required. While English speakers often omit it to say personne t'aime, you should include it in formal writing.
Did you know?
- The word personne has a surprising ancestor in the Latin persona, which originally referred to a mask worn by actors. This suggests that being a 'person' is etymologically linked to the masks used in ancient theatre.
- The word personne in this phrase means 'no one', but it can also mean 'a person' depending on the context. If you add an article like une or la, the meaning shifts from 'nobody' to 'someone'.
- French treats personne as a singular subject regardless of how many people are actually being referred to. Even if the speaker is thinking of a massive crowd of haters, the verb aime remains in the third-person singular.
Examples in context
- Il y a une raison pour laquelle personne ne t'aime.There's a reason no one likes you.This sentence is useful for providing a reason for a situation using personne ne t'aime.Tatoeba #13896037 by mervert1, translation #5849199 by CK
- Personne ne t'aime.No one likes you.This sentence is a direct way to state that personne ne t'aime.Tatoeba #11142184 by Fenrir, translation #3912724 by CK
- C'est triste, mais personne ne t'aime ici.It's sad, but no one likes you here.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are having an argument in a park.
- NathanTu es vraiment méchante.You are really mean.
- LéaEt alors ?So what?
- NathanPersonne ne t'aime, Léa.No one likes you, Léa.
- LéaC'est faux, tu mens.That is false, you are lying.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ne, personne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
