The ne explétif in Comparisons
Just as the ne explétif can follow certain conjunctions, it also frequently appears in affirmative comparisons of inequality—sentences using plus... que (more than) or moins... que (less than).
When reality turns out differently than you anticipated, you can add this non-negative ne after que to emphasize the contrast between what is true and what was expected.
| This problem is more complicated than I thought. | Ce problème est plus compliqué que je ne pensais. |
| This project is less costly than he imagined. | Ce projet est moins coûteux qu'il n'imaginait. |
Verbs of Expectation
This construction is heavily paired with verbs of thinking, believing, or expecting. Because you are comparing reality to a past belief, these verbs are typically conjugated in the imperfect tense (l'imparfait). Common verbs include penser (to think), croire (to believe), imaginer (to imagine), and supposer (to suppose).
| The wolf is more dangerous than they believed. | Le loup est plus dangereux qu'ils ne croyaient. |
| Your idea is more feasible than I supposed. | Ton idée est plus réalisable que je ne supposais. |
Using the Neutral le
In more formal written and spoken French, you will very often see the ne explétif paired with the neutral object pronoun le (or l' before a vowel).
This pronoun refers back to the adjective or state from the first part of the sentence (conceptually meaning "than I thought it to be"). It is placed directly before the verb of expectation.
| The project is less complicated and costly than I believed. | Le projet est moins compliqué et coûteux que je ne le croyais. |
| The project is more clever than I envisioned. | Le projet est plus astucieux que je ne l'envisageais. |
| The monster is more formidable than I thought. | Le monstre est plus redoutable que je ne le pensais. |