How to negate sentences in French

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In French, to make a sentence negative, you use two key words: ne and pas. These two words wrap around the verb in the sentence. Think of them as bookends that hug the verb tightly. Here’s a simple structure to remember:

Subject + ne + verb + pas + rest of the sentence

Let’s break it down with some examples.

1. Le présent de l’indicatif

Affirmative: Je parle anglais. (I speak English.)
Negative: Je ne parle pas anglais. (I don’t speak English.)

Notice how “ne” comes before the verb “parle” and “pas” comes right after the verb.

Affirmative: Elle aime le chocolat. (She likes chocolate.)
Negative: Elle n’aime pas le chocolat. (She does not like chocolate.)

Here, because the verb “aime” starts with a vowel, “ne” becomes “n'” to make it easier to pronounce.

2. Le passé composé

Affirmative: Nous avons fini le travail. (We finished the work.)
Negative: Nous n’avons pas fini le travail. (We did not finish the work.)

In the passé composé, notice that “ne” and “pas” wrap around the auxiliary verb “avons,” not the main verb “fini.”

3. Le futur proche

Affirmative: Ils vont manger. (They are going to eat.)
Negative: Ils ne vont pas manger. (They are not going to eat.)

In the near future tense, “ne” and “pas” wrap around the conjugated form of “aller” (to go), which acts as the auxiliary verb here.

Important Tips

Contractions

When the verb starts with a vowel or a silent ‘h’, “ne” contracts to “n'”. For example:

• Il habite à Paris. (He lives in Paris.)
• Il n’habite pas à Paris. (He does not live in Paris.)

Pronouns

If the sentence contains object pronouns, “ne” and “pas” still hug the main verb. For example:

• Je les vois. (I see them.)
• Je ne les vois pas. (I do not see them.)

Try negating these sentences on your own to practice:

1. Tu comprends. (You understand.)
2. Ils parlent français. (They speak French.)
3. Nous mangeons des fruits. (We eat fruits.)
4. Elle va à l’école. (She goes to school.)

Remember the basic structure, watch out for contractions, and practice regularly. With these tips in mind, you’ll be negating sentences like a pro in no time!

Bonne chance!