inexistant
/i.nɛɡ.zis.tɑ̃/
The English phrase "non existent" is translated into French as inexistant.
Which one should you use?
While English uses a hyphen or two words (non-existent), French uses a single word with the prefix in-.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the adjective is formed by adding an -e to the end (inexistante), the masculine plural form is created by adding an -s to the base adjective (inexistants) and the feminine plural form is created by adding -es to the base adjective (inexistantes).
How do you pronounce it?
/i.nɛɡ.zis.tɑ̃/
Did you know?
- If you describe a person as inexistant in a French social setting, it can imply they are a 'wallflower' who is completely overlooked by the crowd.
- In French legal or philosophical texts, instead of inexistant, one might encounter néant, which refers to a total 'nothingness' or 'void'.
- When describing a lack of expected quality, such as une discipline inexistante, the word functions more as a critique than a literal statement of fact.
Examples in context
- Ce problème est totalement inexistant.This problem is totally non-existent.
- Son courage est devenu inexistant.His courage has become non-existent.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are discussing a technical error in a report.
- GabrielEst-ce que l'erreur est encore là ?Is the error still there?
- EmmaNon, le bug est désormais inexistant.No, the bug is now non-existent.
- GabrielTu as réussi à le supprimer ?Did you succeed in deleting it?
- EmmaOui, tout fonctionne parfaitement maintenant.Yes, everything works perfectly now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry inexistant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
