Je n’y peux rien

Je n'y peux rien !
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

French Expression

Meaning I can’t do anything about it
Literally I can’t (do) anything there
Register normal
Pronunciation French sound files [zheu nee peu ryeh(n)]
IPA   [ʒə ni pø rjɛ̃]

Usage notes: When there’s just nothing you can do, throw up your hands with the French expression je n’y peux rien. You don’t even need to include the verb faire (to do), as it’s somehow included in peux here. The adverbial pronoun y replaces the previously mentioned problem.

Par exemple…

– Ce site-web ne marche pas !
– Je n’y peux rien, le serveur est en panne.
  This website doesn’t work!
There’s nothing I can do about it, the server is down. 
– Il n’y a plus de pain.
– Je n’y peux rien, la boulangerie est fermée.
  There’s no more bread.
I can’t do anything about that, the bakery is closed.

Of course, you can also use this expression with other subjects and their pouvoir conjugations:

  • Tu n’y peux rien ? – Can’t you do anything about it?
  • Il n’y peut rien – There’s nothing he can do about it.
  • Nous n’y pouvons rien – We can’t do anything about it.
  • Vous n’y pouvez rien – There’s nothing you can do about it.
  • Les enfants n’y peuvent rien – The kids can’t do anything about it.
    etc.

Variations

  • Je ne peux rien faire à …
  • Je ne peux rien y faire
  • (Belgium) Je n’en peux rien

Related (but not synonymous) expression: Je n’y suis pour rien

 Related lessons

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

Je n'y peux rien

Stay up to date with Lawless French

Questions about French?

 Visit the Progress with Lawless French Q+A forum to get help from native French speakers and fellow learners.

More Lawless French

 Subscribe to my twice-weekly newsletter.

Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

Leave a Reply