Breakdown of Ce mur est nu et brut, sans peinture ni ornement.
être
to be
et
and
sans
without
ce
this (before a noun)
le mur
the wall
la peinture
the paint
ni
nor
nu
bare
brut
raw (unprocessed, materials)
l'ornement
the ornament (m)
Questions & Answers about Ce mur est nu et brut, sans peinture ni ornement.
Why do we use ni here instead of ou for 'without paint or ornament'?
When listing multiple items that are excluded after sans (without), French requires you to use ni for the additional items. Even though we say 'without A or B' in English, French logic treats it as 'without A nor B'.
Why are there no articles before peinture and ornement?
Does brut mean 'brutal' in this sentence?
Not here! When describing objects, materials, or surfaces like a wall, brut means 'raw', 'rough', or 'unfinished'. Think of raw concrete or unpolished wood.
Can nu be used for inanimate objects like a wall?
Yes, while nu means 'naked' when talking about people, it is perfectly normal to use it for objects or places to mean 'bare' or 'empty'. A mur nu is just a bare wall stripped of decoration.
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