Language/Breton/Grammar/Negation

Breton Grammar - Negation

Hi Breton learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Breton grammar. Negation is an essential part of any language, and in Breton, it is not too complicated. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid foundation in negation and be able to express negative ideas in Breton with confidence. Let's get started!

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Personal Pronouns, How to Use "Be", Pronouns & How to Use Have.

Negative Particle

In Breton, we use the negative particle ne before the verb to make it negative. The use of ne is obligatory in written Breton, but in spoken Breton, its usage has relaxed. The use of ne is also optional in some expressions.

Here are some examples of ne in negative constructions:

Breton	Pronunciation	English
Ne oa ket mad ar gwin	ne oa ket mad ar gwin	The wine was not good
Ne vez ket bleo	ne vez ket bleo	It's not (going to be) cool
Ne gomprenan ket	ne gomprenan ket	We don't understand
Ne zeuh ket	ne zeuh ket	(He/She) does not come

Notice how we always use ne before the Breton verb in these examples.

Usage exceptions

When the verb begins with a vowel or the letter ‘h,’ we add n’ instead of ne.

Here are some examples to make it clearer:

Breton	Pronunciation	English
N'eo ket kalz an tren	n'eo ket kalz an tren	The train is not very frequent
N'eus ket avel	n'eus ket avel	There is no wind
N'on ket gouestlet	n'on ket gouestlet	We are not tired

Notice how n' is used before vowels and the letter ‘h’ in these examples.

Another negative particle

Breton also allows the use of negative particles like ebet or netra. These are synonymous with the French rien (nothing) and negate the entire sentence rather than the verb alone. The verb does not have to be negative in these cases.

Here are some examples:

Breton	Pronunciation	English
Ebet den a gompren	ebet den a gomɥren	No one understands
Netra zo adsavoet	netra zo adsavɔət	Nothing has been saved
Ebet karned	ebet karned	No meat

Notice how ebet and netra negate the entire sentence.

Exceptions in spoken Breton

In spoken Breton, the use of ne can be relaxed. In informal situations, the use of just a glottal stop is common to replace ne. It is also common to use forms without ne, such as ken for ne c'hallit ket (you can't).

Here are some examples:

Breton	Pronunciation (	English)
Illa, ne'ma ket ar mam gozh	Illa, ema' ket ar mam gozh (with glottal stop)	Yes, the mother isn't old
Mat eo	Ma't eo (with glottal stop)	It's okay
Tennet eus-me	Tennet eus-me	I did not leave (informal)

Notice the use of the glottal stop and ken instead of ne c'hallit ket.

Examples

Here is a dialogue to practice negation:

• Person 1: Piv 'ta ac'hanomp hor bloavezhnoù foar? (Who's starting our difficult years?)
• Person 2: Me ne deuz ket, med tamm haha! (I'm not coming, but in a bit haha!)

• Person 1: Peseurt evezh 'zo ganeoc'h? (What's wrong with you?)
• Person 2: N'eo ket netra. (There's nothing wrong.)

• Person 1: Petra deus graet dirakout? (What have you done to him/her?)
• Person 2: N'em eus ket graet netra! (I haven't done anything!)

Practice

Now try to make some sentences using negation. Use Find native speakers and ask them any questions if you have any. Practice makes perfect!

Conclusion

Congratulations, you made it to the end of this lesson! You now understand how to use negation in Breton. Don't forget to check out more Grammar articles for Breton learners. To improve your Breton Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Breton grammar - Wikipedia
• Negation and Verb Second in Breton

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Gender, Say Hello and Greetings in Breton, Give your Opinion & Plurals.

Other Lessons

• Pronouns
• Questions
• How to Use Be
• How to Use Have
• Adjectives
• Conditional Mood
• Plurals
• Future Tense
• Gender