Word
Le venin est dangereux, il est essentiel de ne jamais ouvrir le terrarium.
Meaning
The venom is dangerous, it is essential to never open the terrarium.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Le venin est dangereux, il est essentiel de ne jamais ouvrir le terrarium.
être
to be
ne
not (used before the verb)
ouvrir
to open
il
it (impersonal subject)
Questions & Answers about Le venin est dangereux, il est essentiel de ne jamais ouvrir le terrarium.
Why are ne and jamais right next to each other instead of surrounding the verb?
When a verb is in the infinitive (unconjugated, like ouvrir), negative pairs like ne pas, ne plus, and ne jamais stay together. Instead of wrapping around the verb like they usually do, both words are placed directly in front of it: ne jamais ouvrir (to never open).
Why isn't it n' instead of ne, since ouvrir starts with a vowel?
Why is there a de before the negative infinitive phrase?
The phrase uses an impersonal expression: il est essentiel (it is essential). In French, when you follow an impersonal expression (like il est important, il est difficile, etc.) with an action, you must link them using the preposition de before the infinitive verb.
Could I say c'est essentiel instead of il est essentiel here?
Yes, in everyday spoken French, you will often hear c'est essentiel de ne jamais ouvrir.... However, il est is the traditional, grammatically correct way to introduce an impersonal statement followed by an adjective and an infinitive, which is why you see it in writing and more careful speech.