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Plus long que je ne pensais: read ne in a French comparison

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a short report with plus and moins comparisons. Learn why ne can be non-negative, keep the comparison direction clear and check your reading.

In short

In Le débat est plus long que je ne le pensais, ne carries no negative meaning: “The debate is longer than I thought.” This optional ne explétif occurs in comparisons of inequality in careful French. Plus and moins still tell you the direction of the comparison.

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A community group continuing a calm discussion.
The debate is plus long que prévu but less tense than expected. Illustration: Atelier

Read the comparison against the earlier expectation

Un bilan après la rencontre

Nous avions prévu une heure pour la rencontre. Le débat a duré quatre-vingt-dix minutes : il a été plus long que je ne le pensais1. Pourtant, les échanges ont été moins tendus2 que nous ne le craignions. Plusieurs participants ont posé des questions précises, et chacun a pu répondre à son tour.

Le compte rendu est plus court que nous ne l’avions imaginé. Il reprend les trois propositions principales et les points de désaccord. Il reste toutefois une question à régler : qui rédigera la version finale ? Le groupe n’a pas encore choisi cette personne.

Dans l’ensemble, le résultat est meilleur que nous ne l’espérions3. Nous avons trouvé un accord sur deux propositions, alors que nous pensions n’en retenir qu’une. La troisième demande encore du travail. Nous prévoyons une seconde réunion pour en discuter. Elle devrait être plus courte que la première.

Read it in English

We had planned an hour for the event. The debate lasted ninety minutes: it was longer than I thought. Yet the discussion was less tense than we feared. Several participants asked precise questions, and everyone was able to respond in turn.

The report is shorter than we had imagined. It covers the three main proposals and the points of disagreement. One question remains to be settled, however: who will draft the final version? The group has not chosen that person yet.

Overall, the result is better than we hoped. We agreed on two proposals, whereas we thought we would retain only one. The third still needs work. We are planning a second meeting to discuss it. It should be shorter than the first.

Why is there a ne in plus long que je ne pensais?

What changed from the expectation?
PhraseReference pointReading
plus long que je ne le pensaisExpected lengthLonger: ninety minutes rather than one hour
moins tendus que nous ne le craignionsFeared tensionLess tense than feared
plus court que nous ne l’avions imaginéImagined report lengthShorter than imagined

Remove only the optional particle: plus long que je le pensais. The pronoun le still refers to the expected length. With a vowel after it, it becomes l’: que nous ne l’avions imaginé. These comparison clauses use the indicative forms pensais, craignions and avions imaginé.

Question 1No account needed
How does the actual debate length compare with the plan?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

It is thirty minutes longer.. The plan was sixty minutes and the debate lasted ninety: the actual duration is thirty minutes longer.

Question 2No account needed
What does ne do in moins tendus que nous ne le craignions?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

It adds no negative meaning.. This is comparative ne explétif. The discussion is less tense than the group feared.

Question 3No account needed
Which sentence keeps the original comparison?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Le débat a été plus long que je le pensais.. Removing optional ne preserves the comparison with the earlier estimate.

Question 4No account needed
What is still undecided?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The person drafting the final version.. The text asks who will draft the final version and says the group has not yet chosen that person.

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