Learn French: En explorant, je ne vois rien sauf cette cabane. - While exploring, I see nothing except this cabin.

En explorant, je ne vois rien sauf cette cabane.

While exploring, I see nothing except this cabin.

Breakdown of En explorant, je ne vois rien sauf cette cabane.

not (used before the verb)

this (before a noun)

voir

to see

Questions & Answers about En explorant, je ne vois rien sauf cette cabane.

Could I use à part instead of sauf in this sentence?

Yes, you could perfectly say à part cette cabane. Both sauf and à part mean "except" or "apart from" and are interchangeable here to introduce an exception to your statement.

Why is there an en in front of explorant?

En explorant is the French gerund, which translates to "while exploring" or "by exploring". The word en is required to show that this action is happening simultaneously with the main action (seeing nothing). You form it with en plus the verb's present participle (the -ant form).

Why is there no pas in je ne vois rien?

When you use a negative word like rien (nothing), jamais (never), or personne (nobody), it takes the place of pas. Saying je ne vois pas rien is grammatically incorrect, much like a double negative in English.

Why is it cette cabane and not ce cabane?

The noun cabane (cabin or hut) is feminine. Therefore, you must use the feminine form for "this", which is cette. If the noun were masculine, you would use ce (or cet before a vowel).