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How to make French sentences negative

Demystifying French Sentence Structure: A Pathway to Mastery: How to make French sentences negative
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To make French sentences negative, the most common way is to use the structure “ne… pas” around the conjugated verb. “Ne” goes before the verb and “pas” follows it. For example, “Je ne parle pas” means “I don’t speak.” When the verb begins with a vowel or a silent “h,” “ne” contracts to “n’” (e.g., “Je n’aime pas” - “I don’t like”). 1, 3

There are other negative constructions with different adverbs for nuances:

  • ne… jamais (never)
  • ne… rien (nothing)
  • ne… personne (nobody)
  • ne… plus (no longer)
  • ne… aucun(e) (not any, no)

For example:

  • Je ne comprends pas. (I don’t understand)
  • Il ne mange jamais de viande. (He never eats meat)
  • Nous ne voyons rien. (We don’t see anything)
  • Ils ne connaissent personne ici. (They don’t know anyone here)
  • Je n’ai aucun problème. (I have no problems). 2, 3, 1

When the verb is followed by an infinitive, the negation wraps around the conjugated verb, not the infinitive:

  • Je ne veux pas manger. (I don’t want to eat). 2

In spoken French, sometimes “ne” is dropped, but in written or formal French, “ne… pas” and other full negative structures are used. 1

Summary

To form a basic negative sentence in French:

  • Place “ne” before the conjugated verb and “pas” after it.
  • Use “n’” before verbs starting with vowels or silent h.
  • Use other negative adverbs for more specific negations.
  • Negation wraps around the conjugated verb when an infinitive follows.

Examples:

  • Je ne parle pas français. (I do not speak French)
  • Il ne mange jamais de chocolat. (He never eats chocolate)
  • Nous n’aimons rien. (We like nothing)

This structure is foundational to expressing negation in French sentences and is essential for clear communication.

References

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