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
nullement
by no means
justifié
justified
infondé
unfounded
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?
They are both feminine singular adjectives agreeing with rumeur. While many French words ending in -eur are masculine (like le moteur or l'ordinateur), abstract nouns ending in -eur are almost always feminine, such as la rumeur, la peur, or la valeur.
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