personne
/pɛʁ.sɔn/
The French word for 'nobody' is personne.
personne is a pronoun used to refer to no person. To express the idea of 'absolutely nobody', you can use the phrase vraiment personne.
Which one should you use?
The word personne can function as both a noun meaning 'person' and a pronoun meaning 'nobody'. Its specific meaning depends on its role in the sentence and whether it is paired with ne.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using personne to mean 'nobody', it must be followed by a verb conjugated in the singular form. If you are using personne as an object (meaning 'nobody' is the recipient of the action), it is placed after the verb and is paired with ne before the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɛʁ.sɔn/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to include the ne when using personne in a sentence. However, including ne is grammatically required in standard French.
Did you know?
- The Latin root persona likely referred to a mask worn by actors in ancient theatre, which is the opposite of the concept of 'nobody'.
- The French language lacks a single word for 'anyone' in the sense of 'any person at all', often relying on n'importe qui which literally means 'no matter who'.
- If you call someone a personne, you are describing their identity, but saying il n'est personne suggests they have no social status or importance.
Examples in context
- Personne ne bouge !Nobody moves!This sentence is useful for showing how to use personne as a subject.Tatoeba #1737707 by sacredceltic, translation #1737420 by Spamster
- Personne ne m'a vu.Nobody saw me.This sentence is useful for showing the use of personne as a subject.Tatoeba #2093140 by Amastan, translation #2093046 by CK
- Personne ne fait ça.Nobody does that.Tatoeba #1617355 by sacredceltic, translation #1617162 by Spamster
- Personne ne sait où il est.Nobody knows where he is.
- Aucune personne ne peut vous aider.Nobody can help you.
- Pas grand monde n'a assisté à la réunion.Nobody attended the meeting.
- Personne ne comprend.Nobody understands.
- Vraiment personne ne sait.Absolutely nobody knows.
- 854 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are standing on a quiet street at night.
- HugoIl n'y a personne dans la rue.There is nobody in the street.
- EmmaC'est vrai, c'est très calme.It's true, it's very quiet.
- HugoEst-ce que personne ne t'a appelée ?Did nobody call you?
- EmmaNon, personne ne m'a appelée.No, nobody called me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry personne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
