Log inSign up

Moi, je ne veux ni soupe ni bouillie !

Moi, je ne veux ni soupe ni bouillie !
As for me, I want neither soup nor gruel!
From Lesson 400:Zero article after multiple negation (ni... ni...)·French

Questions & Answers about Moi, je ne veux ni soupe ni bouillie !

Why are there no articles before soupe and bouillie? Shouldn't it be de la soupe?
This is the core rule of multiple negation with ni... ni... (neither... nor). In French, indefinite articles (un, une, des) and partitive articles (du, de la, de l') are completely dropped after ni... ni.... Since you would normally use a partitive article and say Je veux de la soupe, the de la disappears entirely here.
Wait, why isn't there a pas in this negative sentence?
The structure ni... ni... acts as the second half of the negation, replacing pas. Just like you drop pas when using jamais or rien (e.g., je ne veux rien), you must drop it when using ni... ni....
If I wanted to say "I want neither the soup nor the gruel", would I still drop the articles?
No, definite articles (le, la, l', les) are kept after ni... ni...! The omission rule only applies to indefinite and partitive articles. So, if you were rejecting two specific dishes already mentioned, you would say: Je ne veux ni la soupe ni la bouillie.
What is the purpose of starting with Moi, je instead of just Je?
Adding the stressed pronoun Moi adds strong emphasis, much like saying "As for me..." or "Personally, I..." in English. It implies a contrast—perhaps someone else at the table is happily eating their gruel, but you certainly aren't going to!

Learn Moi, je ne veux ni soupe ni bouillie and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →