French Phrase
On ne fournit que du savon.
Meaning
The sentence states that the only thing being supplied is soap—no other items are provided. It can be used in a service context (e.g., a hotel, a school) to clarify the limited nature of the provision.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to emphasize that a service or supply is restricted to soap only, such as in a hotel’s amenity list, a classroom cleaning policy, or a public restroom announcement.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onnefournitquedusavon.
Ne...que (only)
The construction ne…que surrounds the verb and means ‘only’. The ne is often dropped in spoken French, but it is required in formal writing.
Impersonal pronoun "On"
"On" is an impersonal pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘people’, or ‘one’, and it takes a third‑person singular verb.
Partitive article "du"
"Du" is the masculine singular partitive article, used before uncountable nouns like "savon" to mean ‘some’.
Verb "fournir"
"Fournir" means ‘to provide, supply’. In the present tense with "on" it becomes "fournit".
🗨In Conversation
Qu'est‑ce qui est mis à disposition dans la salle de bain ?
What is provided in the bathroom?
On ne fournit que du savon.
We only provide soap.
✕Common Mistakes
On fournit que du savon.
The ne must surround the verb; placing it after the verb changes the meaning.
On fournit seulement du savon.
Using "seulement" instead of "ne…que" is acceptable but changes register; "seulement" sounds less formal.
On ne fournit du savon seulement.
Placing "seulement" after the noun is less natural; keep it before the verb phrase.
↔Alternatives
Nous ne fournissons que du savon.
We only provide soap.
Seul le savon est fourni.
Only soap is provided.
Il n'y a que du savon fourni.
There is only soap provided.
Cultural Tip
In French, the ne…que construction is considered formal and is preferred in written announcements, signage, and polite speech. In casual conversation many speakers drop the ne (e.g., "On fournit que du savon"), but this is grammatically incorrect and may be marked as sloppy in professional contexts.