Learn French: D'ailleurs, nous n'utilisons jamais ces ouvre-boîtes ! - Moreover, we never use these can openers!

D'ailleurs, nous n'utilisons jamais ces ouvre-boîtes !

Moreover, we never use these can openers!

Breakdown of D'ailleurs, nous n'utilisons jamais ces ouvre-boîtes !

nous

we / us (object pronoun)

not (used before the verb)

this (before a noun)

utiliser

to use

Questions & Answers about D'ailleurs, nous n'utilisons jamais ces ouvre-boîtes !

Why does only the second part of ouvre-boîtes have an "s"?

Ouvre-boîtes is a compound noun made of a verb (ouvre, from ouvrir) and a noun (boîtes). The rule for this type of compound is that the verb part never changes. Only the noun part takes a plural "s" when the whole object is pluralized (as indicated by ces).

Since a can opener is designed to open multiple cans, does the singular form also have an "s" on boîtes?

Historically, yes! It was traditionally written un ouvre-boîtes in the singular for exactly that logical reason. However, the 1990 French spelling reform simplified the rule. Today, verb-noun compounds generally have no "s" in the singular (un ouvre-boîte) and take an "s" on the noun in the plural (des ouvre-boîtes).

Can d'ailleurs be translated as something other than "moreover"?

Yes, d'ailleurs is a versatile connector. While it means "moreover" or "besides" here (adding a final, strong point to justify an argument), it can also mean "by the way" or "incidentally" when you are introducing a related side thought in conversation.

Just to refresh my memory, why is there no pas in nous n'utilisons jamais?