Question 1

Why are there no articles before cadeau and récompense?

Accepted Answer

This is the core rule for the ne... ni... ni... (neither... nor...) structure. When you use this double negation, indefinite articles (un, une, des) and partitive articles (du, de la, de l') are completely dropped. Because you would normally say donner un cadeau (to give a gift), the article disappears here.

Question 2

Why is there no pas in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The phrase ne... ni... ni... is a complete negative structure on its own, much like ne... jamais (never) or ne... rien (nothing). Adding pas would be a grammatical error, as the ni... ni... already acts as the second half of the negation to complete the ne.

Question 3

The English translation says "gifts" and "rewards", but the French words cadeau and récompense are singular. Why?

Accepted Answer

After ni... ni..., nouns are usually left in the singular if the sentence implies a general category (meaning "any gift" or "any reward"). You only use the plural if the noun is something that logically always comes in groups. Here, the singular emphasizes that he doesn't give a single one of either.

Question 4

Would definite articles (le, la, les) also be dropped after ni... ni...?

Accepted Answer

No, definite articles are kept! If the sentence referred to specific items that require a definite article, you would keep them. For example, "He likes neither the master nor the dog" would be Il n'aime ni le maître ni le chien. It is only the indefinite and partitive articles that get omitted.

Ce maître cruel ne donne ni cadeau ni récompense.

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