Question 1

Why are ne and jamais placed right next to each other instead of surrounding the verb?

Accepted Answer

When you negate a verb in the infinitive (like parler here), both parts of the negative expression (such as ne pas, ne jamais, or ne rien) stay together and go immediately before the infinitive verb. If the verb were conjugated, they would surround it, as in Il ne parle jamais (He never speaks).

Question 2

Why do we need de in the phrase la règle est de...?

Accepted Answer

When a noun is the subject of être and is equated to an action (an infinitive verb), you use the preposition de to connect them. The structure is [Noun] + est de + [infinitive]. Another example would be Le but est de gagner (The goal is to win).

Question 3

Could I say au réfectoire instead of dans le réfectoire?

Accepted Answer

Yes, both are grammatically correct, but dans le emphasizes being physically inside the enclosed space of the dining hall. Since the sentence focuses on a strict behavioral rule while occupying that specific room, emphasizing the interior makes perfect sense. Au réfectoire would refer to the location more generally.

Question 4

Is d'abord a single word, and how is it used here?

Accepted Answer

D'abord (first, first of all) is a fixed adverbial expression made of the preposition de and the noun abord. Because abord starts with a vowel, the de contracts. It is heavily used in B2 and beyond to structure arguments or lists, often followed later by words like ensuite (then) and enfin (finally).

D'abord, la règle est de ne jamais parler dans le réfectoire.

Breakdown of D'abord, la règle est de ne jamais parler dans le réfectoire.

Questions & Answers about D'abord, la règle est de ne jamais parler dans le réfectoire.

Learn D'abord, la règle est de ne jamais parler dans le réfectoire and more in French