Restriction: ne...que, sauf, seul

What these forms express: restriction vs. exception

All the items in the table help you say “only” (restriction) or “except” (exception).

“Ne…que” (only): the word order you must automate

• ne goes before the verb.
• que / qu’ goes right before the element that is restricted (often after the verb).

Pattern (simple tense): subject + ne + verb + que + restricted element

• On ne parle qu’entre nous. (We only talk among ourselves.)
• Je n’envoie que deux options. (I’m sending only two options.)

Common trap: don’t place que at the end like English “only”.

• On ne parle entre nous que pendant la pause. (word order feels off in this context)
• On ne parle qu’entre nous pendant la pause. (natural restriction)

Compound tenses: “ne…que” wraps the auxiliary + past participle

In compound tenses, ne and que don’t surround the whole sentence—they frame the two-part verb.

Pattern: subject + ne + auxiliary + past participle + que + restricted element

• Nous n’avons vu que la responsable RH. (We only saw the HR manager.)
• Ils ne sont allés qu’à Bordeaux. (They only went to Bordeaux.)

“Ne…pas que”: not “only” (it’s more than that)

Use ne…pas que when you correct a reduction:

• Ce n’est pas que symbolique, c’est important. (It’s not just symbolic; it matters.)
• Ce n’est pas que une question de budget. (It’s not only a budget issue.)

Tip: in conversation, you often continue with a second point (…c’est aussi…, …c’est surtout…).

“Que …” alone: a more “headline” style

Que + noun can mean “only” without a verb. It sounds condensed (like a report, comment, or observation).

• Que des visages fermés dans ce service. (Nothing but closed faces in this department.)
• Que des urgences aujourd’hui. (Only urgent matters today.)

“Rien que”: “just / simply” (very common orally)

Rien que means “just / simply”, often to say that one detail is enough to conclude something.

• Rien qu’à son ton, j’ai compris. (Just from his tone, I understood.)
• Rien que d’y penser, ça m’épuise. (Just thinking about it exhausts me.)

“Seul / seuls / seule(s)”: “only” as an adjective (agreement matters)

Seul behaves like an adjective: it agrees with the noun.

• Seuls les adultes entrent. (Only adults enter.)
• Seule la direction décide. (Only management decides.)
• Seules les candidates retenues seront contactées. (Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.)

Exception phrases: “except …” (choose the one that fits your sentence)

• sauf / excepté + noun/pronoun: straightforward “except”.
• à part + noun/pronoun: very common, neutral.
• mis à part + noun/pronoun: slightly more formal; watch agreement (next section).

• Tout le monde vient, sauf Paul. (Everyone is coming except Paul.)
• À part Rachida, tout le monde participe. (Apart from Rachida, everyone participates.)
• Mis à part ce détail, le dossier est solide. (Except for that detail, the case file is solid.)

“Mis à part”: invariable before the noun, agreement after the noun

• Before the noun: always mis à part (no agreement).
• After the noun: it can agree (more “adjectival” feel).

• Mis à part Nadia, personne ne suit le protocole.
• Tout le monde a envie de venir, Nadia mise à part. (Nadia excepted.)

Don’t confuse “ne…que” with “n’avoir qu’à”

They look similar but mean different things:

• ne…que = only (restriction)
• n’avoir qu’à = just have to / all you need to do is (often advice or reproach)

• Je n’ai que deux minutes. (I only have two minutes.)
• Tu n’as qu’à envoyer un mail. (You just have to send an email.)

Quick self-check: which structure do you need?

1. Do you mean “only”?
   • Verb sentence → use ne…que.
   • No verb / comment style → use que + noun.
   • “Just from…” → use rien que.
   • “Only X (people)” → use seul(s)/seule(s) with agreement.
2. Do you mean “except”?
   • Use sauf, à part, or mis à part.
3. Are you correcting “it’s only…”?
   • Use ne…pas que, then add the real point.