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How would you translate the any in

It's not part of anything

In French?

Would you say

Ce ne fait pas partie de quelque chose

Ce ne fait pas partie d'une chose

Ce ne fait pas partie de rien

Or

Ce ne fait partie de rien

Also, in this context:

"He's not a member of any group"

Il n'est pas membre d'un groupe

Il n'est membre d'aucun groupe

Which one would you use?

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4
  • @Master D.C perfectly answered the question. But I would add that "Ce" is not valid in this case, you should instead use "ça" (hard to capitalize) or "Cela". We expect "ce" to be used before a noun as "Ce manège" or before an adjective "Ce beau manège".
    – Swann
    Jun 30, 2016 at 19:30
  • what about "quoi que ce soit" ?
    – Random
    Jun 30, 2016 at 19:38
  • @Random 'Ça ne fait pas partie de quoi que ce soit'.
    – Destal
    Jun 30, 2016 at 21:10
  • @SimonDéchamps That's what I'm talking about, indeed, but none talked about it in answers...
    – Random
    Jul 1, 2016 at 8:44

2 Answers 2

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4

1- It's not part of anything = Ça ne fait partie de rien

In this example, the anything describe what he is not part of so "de rien" is a very valid option. "de quelque chose" is also accepted but could depend on the sentences.

2- He's not a member of any group = Il n'est membre d'aucun groupe

In this example the "d'aucun groupe" describe the fact that he is not part of any group at all. The "d'un groupe" means more something like: he is not part of a group. Which is somewhat different.

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2
  • Nice you corrected the two mistakes.
    – Destal
    Jun 30, 2016 at 20:40
  • Yeah my bad. I was using my phone and forgot to correct it. Thank for your help!
    – Ein
    Jun 30, 2016 at 20:41
1

Personnaly I would have said :

Ce ne fait partie de rien

Because the double negation of "Ce ne fait pas partie de rien" makes it akward imo.

Ça ne fait partie de rien

even sounds more natural…

Verboslier :

"Cela ne fait pas partie de quoi que ce soit"

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7
  • Quoi que ce soit can be translated as anything in the rien sense?
    – Oboark
    Jun 30, 2016 at 20:29
  • Il n'aime pas quoi que ce soit?
    – Oboark
    Jun 30, 2016 at 20:29
  • @BlobGod : that's grammatically correct but everyone would rather say : "Il n’aime rien" (or "Il aime rien", there the negation doesn't really matter…) ;)
    – Stéphane
    Jun 30, 2016 at 20:36
  • 1
    "Ce" is not a valid subject for a sentence, your second example doesn't work.
    – Anne Aunyme
    Jul 1, 2016 at 8:48
  • 1
    Is this very phrase, the subject is "Ce qui", not "Ce".
    – Anne Aunyme
    Jul 1, 2016 at 11:39

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