Word
Cette rumeur infondée n'est nullement justifiée.
Meaning
This unfounded rumor is in no way justified.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Cette rumeur infondée n'est nullement justifiée.
être
to be
ne
not (used before the verb)
ce
this (before a noun)
la rumeur
the rumor
Questions & Answers about Cette rumeur infondée n'est nullement justifiée.
Why use nullement instead of pas here?
Nullement is a strong, emphatic way to say 'not at all' or 'in no way.' It completely replaces the word pas in the standard ne ... pas structure to add extra weight and formality to the negation.
Where exactly does nullement go in the sentence structure?
Just like pas, nullement directly follows the conjugated verb. In this sentence, it comes right after est (n'est nullement). If you were using a compound tense like the passé composé, it would also go between the auxiliary verb and the past participle.
Could I use aucunement instead of nullement in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely. Aucunement and nullement are completely interchangeable here. Both mean 'in no way' or 'not in the least,' though nullement can sometimes sound slightly more literary.
Why do infondée and justifiée both end with an extra -e?