Language/French/Grammar/Negations

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In this article, you will discover how to form negation in French.

Feel free to directly edit this page if you think it can be improved.

General Structure[edit | edit source]

In French, the general structure of Negation is simply to "encircle" the verb with two particles:


"NE" (or "N’", if the verb begins with a vowel) and "PAS":


SUBJECT + "NE (N')" + VERB + "PAS" + COMPLEMENT


  • Il connaît le pays → Il ne connaît pas le pays

He knows the country → He does not know the country

Following this general scheme, in French there are several kinds of denial, each one with a different structure:

"Ne" + "Pas" : no (generally)[edit | edit source]

  • Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand

"Ne" + "Plus" : no more, anymore, no longer[edit | edit source]

  • Nous n’avons plus de café

We have no more coffee

  • Je ne parle plus

I do not speak anymore

  • Il ne fume plus

He no longer smokes

"Ne" + "Rien" : anything[edit | edit source]

  • Je ne dis rien

I do not say anything

"Ne" + "Personne" : nobody, anybody[edit | edit source]

  • Il n’y a personne

There is nobody

  • Je ne vois personne

I do not see anybody

"Ne" + "Jamais" : never[edit | edit source]

  • Nous n’allons jamais à la mer

We never go to the sea

"Ne" + "Aucun(e)": any[edit | edit source]

  • Je n’ai aucune idée

I do not have any idea

"Ne" + "Que"[edit | edit source]

This structure is not really a negation, but rather a restriction. It is equivalent to "only".

  • Je ne dors que cinq heures

I only sleep 5 hours

  • Ça ne coûte que cent euros

This costs no more than 100 euros

Negation with verbs and pronouns[edit | edit source]

Compound verbs[edit | edit source]

When we have to use negation with a compound verb (compound means having auxiliary and participle), negation "surrounds" the auxiliary, not the participle.

  • Vous avez parlé en allemand → Vous n'avez pas parlé en allemand

You have spoken in German → You have not spoken in German

  • J’ai dit la vérité → Je n’ai pas dit la vérité.

I have said the truth → I have not said the truth

Thus, the structure to remember is:


SUBJECT + "NE (N’)" + AUXILIARY+ "PAS" + PARTICIPLE + COMPLEMENT


Vous + n’+ avez + pas + parlé + allemand

Negation of pronominal verbs[edit | edit source]

When we have pronouns in the phrase, we must remember the 2nd most important French rule:


"The pronoun goes before the verb, and as close to it as possible."


We will apply this rule, thinking that the first term of negation ("NE") will be first in the order of the sentence, and then will go the pronoun before the verb, and then finally the "PAS".

An example with a pronominal verb, which are the ones with reflexive pronouns:

  • Je m’appelle Antoine → Je ne m’appelle pas Antoine

My name is Antoine → My name is not Antoine


SUBJECT + "NE" + ("ME, TE...") + VERB + "PAS" + COMPLEMENT


  • Je + ne + m’ + appelle + pas + Antoine

Examples[edit | edit source]

  • Je ne veux pas partir

I don't want to leave

Ne becomes n' before a vowel.

  • Il n'a pas perdu son sac

He has not lost his bag

Placing ne pas before an infinitive negates it.

  • Le pire est de ne pas essayer

The worst is not to try

Spoken French[edit | edit source]

In spoken French (slang), it is common to hear "J'ai pas faim" (I'm not hungry) without the "n".

The correct written way is : "Je n'ai pas faim".

Always use the N or the NE when writing.

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