Use of pas du tout to mean nothing at all ?

Ron B.C1Kwiziq community member

Use of pas du tout to mean nothing at all ?

Is " Je n'ai dit pas du tout " a valid French expression and would it be an alternative to " Je n'ai rien dit " ?

This question relates to:French lesson "Combining two or more negations (French Negations)"

Asked 5 years ago

Like0Answer2

CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Ron,

Je n'ai rien dit du tout = I said nothing at all

Je n'ai rien dit = I said nothing

you cannot say,

Je n'ai dit pas du tout

Hope this helps!

Like05 years ago

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The two sentences you mention really come very close in meaning but the first one emphatically negates the verb dire whereas the second one stresses the fact that you didn't say anything.

Je n'ai rien dit pas du tout. -- I didn't say anything at all.
J n'ai rien dit. -- I said nothing.

Like05 years ago

Ron B. asked:

Use of pas du tout to mean nothing at all ?

Is " Je n'ai dit pas du tout " a valid French expression and would it be an alternative to " Je n'ai rien dit " ?

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