๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท French lessons

๐Ÿšซ Saying no: ne ... pas

ne ... pasne ... pas

๐Ÿ“– In short

To make a sentence negative in French, we put two words around the verb: ne before it and pas after it, like a sandwich! Je mange (I eat) becomes Je ne mange pas (I don't eat).

๐Ÿ”Ž The lesson

1 The sandwich

  • Je joue. โ†’ Je ne joue pas.I play โ†’ I don't play
  • Tu chantes. โ†’ Tu ne chantes pas.You sing โ†’ you don't sing
  • Il est lร . โ†’ Il n'est pas lร .He's here โ†’ he isn't here

2 ne becomes n'

Before a vowel we write n'.

  • Nous n'aimons pas la pluie.We don't like the rain.
  • Je n'ai pas faim.I'm not hungry.

3 un and une become de

After a negative, un, une and des become de (or d' before a vowel).

  • J'ai un chat. โ†’ Je n'ai pas de chat.I have a cat โ†’ I don't have a cat
  • Il a des amis. โ†’ Il n'a pas d'amis.He has friends โ†’ he doesn't have friends

4 Other kinds of negative

  • Je ne mens jamais.I never lie.
  • Il ne pleut plus.It isn't raining any more.
  • Je ne vois rien.I can't see anything.
  • Il n'y a personne.There's nobody here.

๐Ÿ“Š In a picture

Negation is like a sandwich: ne before the verb and pas after it
Negation is like a sandwich: ne before the verb and pas after it

๐Ÿ’ก Watch out!

  • In fast speech French people sometimes drop the ne: Je sais pas. But in writing and at school we always write it.

๐Ÿงฉ Test yourself

1 Make it negative: Je chante.

2 Make it negative: Elle aime le lait.

3 Make it negative: J'ai une sล“ur.

โ†’ Adjectives and agreementโ† How do we ask questions in French?

๐Ÿ“š Related lessons

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