French Phrase
Je n'ai plus d'essence. Et maintenant ?
Meaning
Literally, 'I have no more gasoline. And now?' It expresses that the speaker has run out of fuel and is asking what should be done next. The tone can be urgent, frustrated, or simply seeking advice.
When to use
Use this sentence when your car or motorcycle runs out of fuel, especially in a conversation with a friend, a passerby, or a roadside assistance service. It works both in informal spoken French and in a slightly more formal written request for help.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jen'aiplusd'essence.Etmaintenant?
Negative ne...plus
The construction ne…plus expresses the absence of something. In spoken French the ne is often dropped, but in formal writing it stays.
Partitive article d'
When a noun follows a negative verb, the indefinite article becomes the partitive 'de' (or d' before a vowel) to indicate 'any'.
Verb avoir in present
The verb 'avoir' is conjugated as 'ai' for the first person singular in the present tense.
Et maintenant?
A short interrogative phrase meaning 'and now?' used to ask for the next step.
🗨In Conversation
Je n'ai plus d'essence. Et maintenant ?
I’ve run out of gasoline. What now?
Tu peux appeler l'assistance routière ou chercher la station-service la plus proche.
You can call roadside assistance or look for the nearest gas station.
✕Common Mistakes
Je ai plus d'essence.
In a negative sentence, 'plus' must stay with the verb; do not drop the 'ne' in formal writing.
Je n'ai plus une essence.
After a negative verb, use the partitive 'de' (or d' before a vowel) instead of the indefinite article 'un/une'.
Et maintenant que faire ?
Avoid adding extra words like 'que' unless you want a full question: 'Et que faire maintenant ?'
↔Alternatives
Je suis à court d'essence. Que faire maintenant ?
I’m out of gasoline. What should I do now?
Il n'y a plus d'essence dans mon réservoir. Et maintenant ?
There’s no more gasoline in my tank. And now?
Je n'ai plus de carburant. Que faire ?
I have no more fuel. What should I do?
Cultural Tip
In France, it’s common to call the national roadside assistance service (e.g., "Assistance Routière" or your car insurance’s helpline) when you run out of fuel. Many service stations also have a "pompe d'essence" sign that is easy to spot from the road. Remember that in French, saying "Je n'ai plus d'essence" is more natural than "Je n'ai plus de l'essence" because the partitive article changes to "de" after a negative verb.