Language/French/Grammar/Subject-verb-agreement-—-Agreement-with-more-than-one-subject

Subject-verb agreement — Agreement with more than one subject linked by: ni... ni, 'neither... nor', so/t... soit, ' e i t h e r . . . or' and ou, 'or'

French tends to make a distinction between the two kinds of meaning which may be conveyed by these methods of coordination. If the meaning emphasizes the individual and does not 'add them together', the verb may well be singular:

• Ni Simon ni Steven n'a pu me dire où se trouvaient les autres

Neither Simon nor Steven was able to tell me where the others were

• C'est soit lui soit sa soeur qui doit te téléphoner

Either he or his sister must be responsible for telephoning you

If, on the other hand, the intention is to consider the two elements as a group, the verb will be plural:

• Ni Lord Byron ni Chateaubriand n'ont pu comprendre l'inutilité des rêveries romantiques

Neither Lord Byron nor Chateaubriand could understand how useless romantic dreams are

The same principle underlies agreement with ni l'un ni l'autre. Where they are 'additive' the verb is likely to be plural, where they act as 'alternative individuals' the verb is likely to be singular:

• Ni Alberte ni Suzanne n'avaient pu rencontrer le peintre

Neither Alberte nor Suzanne managed to meet the painter

• Ni l'une ni l'autre n'ont pu rencontrer le peintre

Neither the one nor the other was able to meet the painter

• Ni Alberte ni Suzanne ne viendra

Neither Alberte nor Suzanne will come

• Ni l'une ni l'autre ne viendra

Neither the one nor the other will come