One word two different meanings: une personne // personne

Personne  can confuse students sometimes. 

• If it is used as a noun it simply means " a person "

• if it is used as a pronoun it means "no one, nobody ".

1. personne used as a pronoun:

Il n'y a personne dans la rue                                      There is no one in the street.
Personne n'a répondu                                                 Nobody answered.

2. personne used as a noun (une personne can be feminine or masculine in gender)

Il y a deux personnes dans le magasin                     There are two persons in the store
Il est venu en personne                                                  He came himself
C'est  la méchanceté en personne                              He/she is meanness itself
C'est une belle personne                                               She is a beautiful woman


Questions or comments? Send them to info@cevenneslangues.com.
www.cevenneslangues has additional information on learning French or English