sans la réponse
sans the answer
Use this phrase to describe the specific gap where a needed answer should be.
في 15 ثانية
- Missing a specific piece of information.
- Used when a reply or solution is absent.
- Works in both casual and professional settings.
المعنى
It describes the state of missing a specific answer or solution to a question. It’s that annoying gap when you’re waiting for information that hasn't arrived yet.
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 7In a work meeting
Je ne peux pas valider le projet sans la réponse du client.
I cannot validate the project without the client's answer.
Texting a friend about a crush
Il m'a laissé sans la réponse à mon invitation.
He left me without the answer to my invitation.
In a classroom
L'élève est resté sans la réponse devant son examen.
The student remained without the answer during his exam.
خلفية ثقافية
In France, debate is a national sport, but sometimes the goal isn't to find the answer, but to enjoy the argument. However, in administrative contexts, being 'sans la réponse' is a common frustration due to the famous French bureaucracy. It reflects a state of limbo that is universally understood in French society.
The 'La' Matters
Using `la` makes it about one *specific* answer you're looking for. If you just say `sans réponse`, it's more general, like 'unanswered'.
Don't confuse with 'Je ne sais pas'
`Je ne sais pas` is 'I don't know.' `Sans la réponse` is a state of being. Use it to describe the situation, not just your brain's status.
في 15 ثانية
- Missing a specific piece of information.
- Used when a reply or solution is absent.
- Works in both casual and professional settings.
What It Means
Imagine you ask a big question. You wait. You listen. But nothing happens. sans la réponse describes that exact moment. It means you are missing the solution. You are lacking the information you need. It is like a puzzle with a missing piece. It is simple, clear, and very common. You are basically saying you are 'without the answer.' It’s the linguistic version of a shrug and a waiting room.
How To Use It
You usually drop this phrase after a verb. Use it with rester (to stay) to say you are still waiting. Use it with partir (to leave) to say you left empty-handed. It acts like a little block of meaning. You don't need to change the words. Just keep sans, la, and réponse together. It is a very stable phrase. You can use it at the end of a sentence or as part of a longer thought. It’s like a Lego brick for your French sentences.
When To Use It
Use it when you are frustrated at work. Use it when your friend ignores your text. It works perfectly in a classroom setting too. If the teacher asks a question and nobody speaks, that is sans la réponse. It feels natural in almost any daily situation. It is great for describing a mystery or a gap in a conversation. You can use it in a professional email or a casual text. It’s a real multitasker.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for physical objects. You wouldn't say "coffee without the answer." It is for information only. Also, avoid using it if you just mean "I don't know." Use je ne sais pas for that. sans la réponse is more about the *state* of not having the answer. It’s about the missing piece, not just your own lack of knowledge. Don't use it if you are talking about a general lack of replies; usually, that's just sans réponse without the la.
Cultural Background
French culture values intellectual clarity. Leaving someone sans la réponse can be seen as a bit cold or even a power move in business. However, in French cinema and literature, leaving things sans la réponse is an art form. They love an open ending! Whether it’s a waiter ignoring your request for the check or a philosopher pondering life, the absence of an answer is a common theme in French life. It’s the "je ne sais quoi" of missing data.
Common Variations
You might hear sans une réponse which means "without an answer." There is also sans aucune réponse which is much stronger, meaning "without any answer at all." If you want to be very poetic, you might say laissé sans réponse (left without an answer). But for your daily life, sans la réponse is the reliable, go-to version. It’s the bread and butter of being confused in French.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
The phrase is highly versatile across all registers. Just remember that the inclusion of 'la' makes the 'answer' feel like a specific, expected object rather than a general concept.
The 'La' Matters
Using `la` makes it about one *specific* answer you're looking for. If you just say `sans réponse`, it's more general, like 'unanswered'.
Don't confuse with 'Je ne sais pas'
`Je ne sais pas` is 'I don't know.' `Sans la réponse` is a state of being. Use it to describe the situation, not just your brain's status.
The Silent Treatment
In France, if someone leaves you `sans la réponse`, they might be 'faisant le mort' (playing dead/ghosting). It's a common way to avoid saying 'no' directly!
أمثلة
7Je ne peux pas valider le projet sans la réponse du client.
I cannot validate the project without the client's answer.
Here it shows a professional dependency on information.
Il m'a laissé sans la réponse à mon invitation.
He left me without the answer to my invitation.
Used to express social frustration or 'ghosting'.
L'élève est resté sans la réponse devant son examen.
The student remained without the answer during his exam.
Describes being stuck on a specific question.
Mon chat me regarde, mais je suis sans la réponse à ses miaulements.
My cat looks at me, but I'm without the answer to his meows.
A lighthearted way to say you don't understand what someone (or something) wants.
Elle est partie pour toujours, me laissant sans la réponse.
She left forever, leaving me without the answer.
Adds emotional weight to a missing explanation.
Le ticket est fermé sans la réponse au problème technique.
The ticket is closed without the answer to the technical problem.
Common frustration with customer service.
Tu ne peux pas partir sans la réponse de tes parents.
You can't leave without your parents' answer.
Used to set a condition for an action.
اختبر نفسك
Complete the sentence to say you can't finish the work without the answer.
Je ne peux pas finir le travail ___ ___ ___.
`sans la réponse` correctly conveys that the missing information is preventing the work from being finished.
Choose the correct phrase for a text message: 'Still no answer...'
Toujours ___ ___ ___... c'est bizarre.
`sans` is the preposition for 'without', making it the only logical choice here.
🎉 النتيجة: /2
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Formality Spectrum of 'sans la réponse'
Texting a friend who hasn't replied.
Toujours sans la réponse, lol.
Daily conversation or school context.
Je suis sans la réponse à cette question.
Business emails or official reports.
Le dossier demeure sans la réponse attendue.
Where to use 'sans la réponse'
At the Office
Waiting for a boss's approval.
In a Mystery
The detective is missing a clue.
Dating
Waiting for a text back.
School
Staring at a hard math problem.
الأسئلة الشائعة
11 أسئلةIt means 'without the answer.' It's used when a specific piece of information or a reply is missing from a situation.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss in an email like Je suis sans la réponse or with a friend while texting.
Yes, but sans réponse is more general (unanswered), while sans la réponse usually refers to a specific answer you were expecting.
It often follows être (to be) or rester (to remain). For example: Je reste sans la réponse.
Yes, very! It's a standard way to express that you're waiting for information.
Yes, if you called someone and they didn't pick up, you can say you are sans la réponse to your call.
Absolutely. If you can't solve a problem, you are sans la réponse for that specific exercise.
The opposite would be avec la réponse (with the answer) or avoir la réponse (to have the answer).
Not always. You can say sans une réponse (without an answer) or just sans réponse. The la makes it specific.
Indirectly, yes. If you are sans la réponse, it implies you are stuck or confused because you lack information.
No, it's a statement of fact. However, telling someone Tu me laisses sans la réponse might sound a bit like a complaint.
عبارات ذات صلة
sans faute
en attente de réponse
rester sur sa faim
donner sa langue au chat
التعليقات (0)
تسجيل الدخول للتعليقابدأ تعلم اللغات مجاناً
ابدأ التعلم مجاناً