Je n’y suis pour rien

Je n'y suis pour rien
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Blameless French Expression

Meaning It has nothing to do with me, I’ve got nothing to do with it
Literally I’m not there for anything
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Pronunciation French sound files [zheu nee swee poor rye(n)]
IPA   [ʒə ni sɥi pu rjɛ̃]

Usage notes: When you’re innocent of a crime or uninvolved in some shady affair, you want people to know it, and you can do so with the French expression je n’y suis pour rien, in the present or imperfect.

Par exemple…

C’est toi qui as oublié de payer la facture – je n’y suis pour rien !   You’re the one who forgot to pay the bill – I had nothing to do with it!
Je travaillais au moment du vol, évidemment je n’y étais pour rien.   I was working at the time of the theft, obviously I had nothing to do with it.

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

Par exemple…

  • Tu n’y es pour rien ? – You have nothing to do with it?
  • Guillaume n’y est pour rien. – Guillaume has nothing to do with it.
  • Mes chiens n’y étaient pour rien. – My dogs had nothing to do with it.
    etc.

  Informally, ne is dropped and this expression is pronounced j’y suis pour rienlearn more.

Synonymous expression: rien à voir

Similar (but not synonymous) expression: je n’y peux rien

 Related lessons

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Je n'y suis pour rien

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