Log inSign up

Tu ne dois regarder que ton livre, sinon tu es exclu.

Tu ne dois regarder que ton livre, sinon tu es exclu.
You must look only at your book, otherwise you are expelled.
From Lesson 254:Conditional alternatives (sinon)·French

Questions & Answers about Tu ne dois regarder que ton livre, sinon tu es exclu.

How does sinon work to connect the two parts of this sentence?
In this context, sinon translates to 'otherwise'. It acts as a conditional connector that introduces the consequence of not doing what was just stated. If the person does not look only at their book, the consequence is being expelled. It can also often mean 'if not'.
Why is there a ne and que in this sentence but no pas?
This is the French structure for expressing 'only'. Instead of using a negative like ne ... pas, you frame the verb with ne ... que. The que always goes directly in front of the specific thing being limited, which is why it sits right before ton livre (your book).
Why is there no French word for 'at' after regarder?
In English, we say 'look at', but in French, regarder is a direct verb. It inherently means 'to look at' or 'to watch' and takes a direct object without needing an extra preposition. You simply say regarder ton livre without adding à or de.
If the person being spoken to (tu) is female, does exclu change?
Yes, it does. exclu is the past participle of the verb exclure (to exclude or expel), and here it is being used like an adjective with the verb être (to be). Because of this, it must agree with the subject. If tu is female, an 'e' is added: tu es exclue.

Learn Tu ne dois regarder que ton livre, sinon tu es exclu and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →