ANY in Negation

Aashpreet K.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

ANY in Negation

Can I also say - Je n'ai pas d'idée. [I don't have any idea.], just like I can say -  Je n'ai pas de lait. [I don't have any milk.] or Je n'ai pas de sœur.

If not, why??

Asked 5 months ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Je n'ai pas d'idée. -- I don't have an idea.
Je n'ai aucune idée. -- I don't have any idea.

The second sentence is the stronger negation. With "milk" it's a bit difference since milk represents an uncountable object whereas ideas are countable. Aucun only works with countable nouns, so you could NOT say j'ai aucun lait.

Je n'ai pas de lait. -- I don't have (any) milk.

ANY in Negation

Can I also say - Je n'ai pas d'idée. [I don't have any idea.], just like I can say -  Je n'ai pas de lait. [I don't have any milk.] or Je n'ai pas de sœur.

If not, why??

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