Nous n'avons rien vu, nous avons juste fait un puzzle.

Questions & Answers about Nous n'avons rien vu, nous avons juste fait un puzzle.

Why is rien placed before vu instead of at the end of the sentence?
In the past tense (the passé composé), short negative words like rien (nothing) go between the helping verb (avons) and the action verb (vu). So we say n'avons rien vu, rather than placing rien at the very end.
Where did the word pas go?
The negative word rien replaces pas. You use ne... rien to mean 'nothing' or 'not anything'. If you used pas alongside it, it would be a confusing double negative!
Is there a rule for why juste is also in the middle of the verb avons fait?
Yes! Just like rien, short and common adverbs (such as juste, bien, or déjà) are usually placed between the helping verb (avons) and the past participle (fait) when using the passé composé.
Do the French really use the English word puzzle?
Yes, un puzzle is a common loanword in French used for jigsaw puzzles. Notice that instead of saying you 'play' a puzzle, French uses the verb faire (to do / to make), which is why this sentence uses fait (did).

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