Translation
useless, rubbish; no, none (formal)
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Word origin
From Latin nullus ('none, not any'), a compound of ne ('not') and ullus ('any'). The same root gives English null, nullify and annul.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- nullus
- English cognates
- , nullify, annul
Grammar
Examples
, .
This film is rubbish, we should have picked the other one.
, .
I'm hopeless at maths, I've always hated it.
.
No one is supposed to be ignorant of the law.
, .
This film is really rubbish, we've been bored since the start.
, .
The match ended in a nil-nil draw.
Nul has two register-distinct senses. In everyday colloquial French it means "rubbish, useless, hopeless" - the most common use ("c'est nul", "je suis nul en..."). In formal/legal French it means "no, none, void", surviving in fixed expressions: nul n'est cense ignorer la loi ("no one is supposed to be ignorant of the law"), vote nul ("invalid ballot"), et non avenu ("null and void").
The feminine nulle and plurals nuls/nulles inflect regularly. Often paired with part: nulle part means "nowhere" - a high-frequency adverb pair.
Where this fits
Used in
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French · Free printables
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Free printable study downloads for the French word "nul" (useless, rubbish; no, none (formal)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 8, lesson 7: nul, poser, tôt and 7 more words.