French word

rien

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁjɛ̃/

Meaning

  • pronounnothing

Example

Je ne comprends rien.

I don't understand anything.

Illustration for rien (nothing)

More examples

Il n'y a rien à manger.

There is nothing to eat.

Core concept

An empty container with no thing inside it.

Common phrases

  • rien à faire

    nothing can be done

  • rien à dire

    nothing to say

  • rien du tout

    nothing at all

Similar words

quelque chose: Refers to an unspecified thing that exists or is being mentioned.
tout: Indicates the whole of a group or the totality of things.
personne: Indicates the complete absence of people or that nobody acts.
quelqu'un: Indicates one person whose identity is unspecified.

Definition in French

Exprime l'inexistence ou l'absence de quelque chose ; utilisé dans la construction négative (ne...rien) et dans des tours comme rien de + adjectif.

Word origin

French rien developed from Old French rien, originally meaning 'thing', and ultimately from Latin res through its accusative form rem.

Usage tips

  • In rien de + adjective, the adjective normally stays masculine singular, as in rien de nouveau or rien de spécial.

Other meanings

  • at alladverb

Opposites

  • quelque chosesomethingpronoun
  • touteverythingpronoun

Word lists with this word