none of your business

The English expressions “none of your business” and “none of my business” can be translated into French in several ways depending on the level of formality and the tone. French offers both direct, informal equivalents and more polite or neutral alternatives.

None of your business

The most common informal way to say “none of your business” is ce ne sont pas tes affaires when speaking to someone you address as “tu,” or ce ne sont pas vos affaires when speaking formally or to more than one person.

Examples:

  • Ça ne te regarde pas. (literally, it doesn’t look at you)
    That is none of your business.
  • Ce ne sont pas tes affaires. (literally, these are not your affairs)
    That is none of your business.
  • Ce ne sont pas vos affaires. (literally, these are not your affairs)
    That is none of your business.

A slightly stronger and more dismissive phrase is occupe-toi de tes affaires or occupez-vous de vos affaires.

Examples:

  • Oublie ça et occupe-toi de tes affaires. (literally, forget it and occupy yourself with your affairs)
    Forget about it and mind your own business.
  • Occupez-vous de vos affaires, s’il vous plaît. (literally, occupy yourself with your affairs, please)
    Mind your own business, please.

In a very informal or blunt register, especially among young people, you may also hear mêle-toi de tes affaires or mêle-toi de tes oignons. The latter is colloquial and playful.

Examples:

  • Mêle-toi de tes affaires. (literally, meddle in your affairs)
    Mind your own business.
  • Mêle-toi de tes oignons. (literally, meddle in your onions)
    Mind your own business.

This “oignons” expression also appears in shorter forms like c’est pas tes oignons or simply pas tes oignons. These are familiar and conversational ways to say “none of your business.” Literally “it’s not your onions” or “not your onions.”

Examples:

  • Pourquoi tu veux savoir ? C’est pas tes oignons.
    Why do you want to know? That is none of your business.
  • Tu lui as dit quoi ? Pas tes oignons.
    What did you say to him? None of your business.

For formal or polite contexts, a less abrupt option is cela ne vous concerne pas. Literally, it doesn’t concern you.

Example:

  • Je suis désolé, mais cela ne vous concerne pas.
    I am sorry, but that is none of your business.

None of my business

To say “none of my business” in French, the most common expression is ce ne sont pas mes affaires.

Examples:

  • Ce ne sont pas mes affaires, je préfère ne pas intervenir.
    That is none of my business, I prefer not to get involved.
  • Tu peux faire ce que tu veux, ce n’est pas mes affaires.
    You can do what you want, it is none of my business.

Another natural option is ça ne me regarde pas. Literally, it doesn’t look at me.

Examples:

  • Ce que tu fais de ton argent, ça ne me regarde pas.
    What you do with your money is none of my business.
  • Ça ne me regarde pas, donc je ne dirai rien.
    That is none of my business, so I will not say anything.

In more formal or neutral contexts, you may hear cela ne me concerne pas.

Examples:

  • Je ne donnerai pas mon avis, cela ne me concerne pas.
    I will not give my opinion, that is none of my business.
  • C’est une décision interne, cela ne me concerne pas.
    It is an internal decision, that is none of my business.

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