Question 1

Why are there three negative words (plus, jamais, personne) in this sentence, and where did pas go?

Accepted Answer

In French, you can stack negative words to create complex meanings, like combining plus (anymore), jamais (never), and personne (anyone). When you use these specific negative words, you drop pas. The n' before the verb is enough to anchor the whole negative chain.

Question 2

Why are plus and jamais next to the verb, but personne is at the very end?

Accepted Answer

Negative adverbs like plus and jamais stick close to the verb. However, personne acts as a pronoun (meaning nobody or anybody) and goes exactly where a noun would normally go in the sentence structure. Here, it is part of the phrase de personne (of anyone), which describes whose attention it is, so it belongs right after l'attention.

Question 3

Could I change the order and say jamais plus instead of plus jamais?

Accepted Answer

You might occasionally read or hear jamais plus, but plus jamais is the standard, most natural order for saying never again or never anymore in everyday French. When stacking these two together, plus usually comes first.

Question 4

Why do we need the preposition de before personne?

Accepted Answer

It translates to the English word of to show possession. L'attention de personne literally means the attention of nobody (which we translate as anyone's attention). Because personne takes the place of a noun here, it needs the preposition de just like a regular person's name would, such as in l'attention de Marie.

Ce contenu n'attire plus jamais l'attention de personne.

Breakdown of Ce contenu n'attire plus jamais l'attention de personne.

Questions & Answers about Ce contenu n'attire plus jamais l'attention de personne.

Learn Ce contenu n'attire plus jamais l'attention de personne and more in French