Log inSign up

J'attends dans la pénombre sans répondre à qui que ce soit.

J'attends dans la pénombre sans répondre à qui que ce soit.
I wait in the half-light without answering anyone at all.
From Lesson 444:Absolute indefinite phrases (qui que ce soit)·French

Questions & Answers about J'attends dans la pénombre sans répondre à qui que ce soit.

Why is there an à before qui que ce soit?
In French, the verb répondre (to answer) is usually followed by the preposition à when you mention the person being answered (répondre à quelqu'un). Because we are saying 'answering anyone at all', that à has to stay, giving us répondre à qui que ce soit.
Could I use personne instead of qui que ce soit in this sentence?
Yes, you could say sans répondre à personne (without answering anyone). However, qui que ce soit is an absolute indefinite phrase that adds stronger emphasis. It translates closer to 'anyone at all' or 'anybody whatsoever', making the speaker's silence feel much more absolute.
Why do we use the infinitive répondre after sans?
When a preposition like sans (without), pour (for), or de (of/to) is followed directly by an action, that verb must be in its infinitive form. Because the person waiting and the person not answering are the same subject ('I'), we can simply use sans + infinitive.
How is la pénombre different from l'ombre?
L'ombre means 'shadow' or 'shade'. The word la pénombre adds the prefix pén- (meaning 'almost'), so it literally means 'almost shadow'. It is used to describe half-light, dimness, or the gloom of a darkened room.

Learn J'attends dans la pénombre sans répondre à qui que ce soit 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 →