Before I heard / avant que je n'aie attendu ?

William S.C1Kwiziq community member

Before I heard / avant que je n'aie attendu ?

Hi. In a Kwiz this was the question:

Avant que je n'________ le bruit, je dormais à poings fermés.

The answer was aie entendu.

Can someone please explain the n' that's in there?

This question relates to:French lesson "Conjugate verbs in the subjunctive past in French (Le Subjonctif Passé)"

Asked 1 month ago

Like0Answer2

CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi William,

It is called 'ne explétif' and you will have encountered it with negatives. Here it is because of the use 'avant que' and we have a lesson devoted to this, so please take a look at it -

Avant que + ne explétif + the subjunctive mood (Le Subjonctif) = Before I do in French

Bonne Continuation !

Like11 month ago

William S.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you Cécile !

Like01 month ago

William S. asked:View original