Learn Hardcore French: Je ne vois la caissière nulle part; peut-être qu’elle est en pause. - I do not see the cashier anywhere; maybe she is on break.

In French, ne … pas is only one kind of negation. Nulle part is itself a negative adverb that pairs with ne: the pattern is ne … nulle part (“not … anywhere / nowhere”).
So Je ne vois la caissière nulle part is the standard way to say “I don’t see the cashier anywhere.”
In careful French you don’t add pas with nulle part. In casual speech you may hear redundancy like Je vois pas la caissière nulle part, but avoid it in writing.

Can I drop ne in everyday speech?

Yes, in informal spoken French, ne is often dropped: Je vois pas la caissière.
If you keep nulle part, many speakers also say Je vois pas la caissière nulle part. It’s common but redundant; the standard written form is Je ne vois la caissière nulle part (or better yet, Je ne la vois nulle part).
Don’t drop both negatives: Je vois la caissière nulle part is incorrect.

What exactly does nulle part mean, and how else is it used?

Nulle part means “nowhere.” With ne, it translates as “not … anywhere.”
Examples:
- On ne la trouve nulle part. = We can’t find her anywhere.
- Je ne vais nulle part. = I’m not going anywhere.
- Opposites: partout = everywhere; quelque part = somewhere.
It’s a fixed expression: always written as two words and usually placed at the end of the clause.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say Je ne la vois nulle part or Je ne vois nulle part la caissière?

All three are possible:
- Je ne la vois nulle part. (very natural with a pronoun)
- Je ne vois la caissière nulle part.
- Je ne vois nulle part la caissière. (more emphatic/formal)
Using the pronoun (la) is very idiomatic in French when the referent is already known: Je ne la vois nulle part.

Why is it la caissière? Could it be masculine or indefinite?

La caissière is feminine singular (“the female cashier”). Masculine is le caissier.
If you mean “any cashier” rather than a specific one: Je ne vois pas de caissière / de caissier (“I don’t see any cashier”).
If you don’t want to mark gender: la personne à la caisse works in many contexts.

What does en pause mean? Are there other ways to say “on a break”?

Être en pause = “to be on break” (short work break).
Alternatives:
- Elle fait une pause. = She’s taking a break.
- Elle est en pause déjeuner / en pause café.
- Elle est en congé. = She’s off/ on leave (longer-term).
Regional note: prendre une pause is common in Canadian French; in France, faire une pause or être en pause is preferred.

Why do we have peut-être qu’elle? Can I say Elle est peut-être en pause instead?

Both are correct:
- Peut-être qu’elle est en pause. (very common, neutral)
- Elle est peut-être en pause. (also very natural; puts “maybe” inside the clause)
A more formal/literary variant is inversion: Peut-être est-elle en pause. (no que).

Why is it qu’elle and not que elle?

This is elision: que becomes qu’ before a vowel or mute h. Since elle begins with a vowel, you must write qu’elle.
Same idea with ne → n’ before a vowel (e.g., Je n’entends rien), though here ne stays as-is because vois starts with a consonant.

How do you spell peut-être, and what’s the difference from peut être?

peut-être (with a hyphen) is the adverb “maybe.”
- Peut-être qu’il est en pause.
peut être (no hyphen) is the verb phrase “can be.”
- Il peut être en pause. = He can be on break.
The hyphen changes the meaning, so it matters.

Is the semicolon necessary here? What punctuation could I use?

The semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses. You could also write a period, a dash, or a comma:
- Je ne vois la caissière nulle part, peut-être qu’elle est en pause.
- Je ne vois la caissière nulle part. Peut-être qu’elle est en pause.
French typography uses a (thin) non‑breaking space before a semicolon: … nulle part ; peut-être …

Any pronunciation tips for the whole sentence?

Je ne vois la caissière nulle part; peut-être qu’elle est en pause:
- [ʒə nə vwa la kɛ.sjɛʁ nyl paʁ | pø.tɛtʁ kɛl ɛ tɑ̃ poz]
Notes:
- caissière = [kɛ.sjɛʁ] (the double s is “s,” not “z”).
- est en has a liaison: pronounce a [t] link → [ɛ tɑ̃].
- In casual speech, ne may be very light or dropped: [ʒə vwa] / [ʒ vwa].

Can I start the sentence with Nulle part?

You can for emphasis, but it sounds formal/literary: Nulle part je ne vois la caissière.
In everyday speech, keep nulle part at the end or use a pronoun: Je ne la vois nulle part.

Does nulle part agree or change form?

No. Nulle part is a fixed expression; it doesn’t change for gender or number. There is no “nuls parts.”

Would Je ne vois pas la caissière be acceptable if I omit nulle part?

Yes. It simply means “I don’t see the cashier,” without the “anywhere” emphasis.
Adding nulle part underscores that you’ve looked and can’t see her anywhere.

Could I use trouver instead of voir?

Yes, for a stronger sense of searching: Je ne trouve pas la caissière = “I can’t find the cashier.”
voir (see) states what you do/don’t see; trouver (find) implies you were looking.