In French, negative commands are formed by placing ne ... pas (or another negative expression) around the verb in the imperative. This expresses that something should not be done.
- For single verb commands, put ne before the verb and pas after it.
- For commands with object pronouns, place ne ... pas around the entire verb-pronoun combination.
- Common negatives: ne ... pas (not), ne ... jamais (never), ne ... plus (no longer).
- Negative commands are used with tu, nous, and vous, just like positive commands.
For 'tu', 'ne' goes before the verb and 'pas' after: 'Ne mange pas!'
Common negative expressions are ne ... pas, ne ... jamais, and ne ... plus.
Source Material
Author: Le Point du FLE
Document: Le Point du FLE - L’impératif négatif
Date Published: 2024
Forming Negative Commands
For regular verbs, surround the verb with ne ... pas in the imperative:
| Subject | Positive (Aimer) | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Tu | Aime ! | N’aime pas ! |
| Nous | Aimons ! | N’aimons pas ! |
| Vous | Aimez ! | N’aimez pas ! |
- With -er verbs, the -s is dropped in the positive tu form (Aime!), but is present in negative (N’aime pas!).
For 'vous', it's 'Ne parlez pas!'
For 'nous', use 'Ne soyons pas ...!'
Ne mangez pas! (for 'vous')
Verbs with Object Pronouns
Attach object pronouns after the verb with a hyphen in positive commands (Donne-lui!), but in negative commands, the pronouns go before the verb and all stay together within the negation:
| Subject | Verb + Pronoun | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tu | Donne-le (m) | Donne-le ! | Ne le donne pas ! |
| Nous | Donne-le | Donnons-le ! | Ne le donnons pas ! |
| Vous | Donne-le | Donnez-le ! | Ne le donnez pas ! |
- The same pattern applies to any pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur, y, en).
For 'vous', 'Don't give it to me!' is 'Ne me le donnez pas!'
To include 'us', it's 'Ne nous montrez pas les photos!' ('vous' form). If directed at 'nous', use 'Ne montrons pas...'
Common Negative Commands Practice
Convert these positive commands to negative commands:
| Positive (Vous) | Negative |
|---|---|
| Parlez ! (Speak!) | Ne parlez pas ! |
| Finissez le travail! | Ne finissez pas le travail! |
| Positive (Tu) | Negative |
| ---------------------- | -------------------- |
| Regarde la télé ! | Ne regarde pas la télé ! |
| Achète du pain ! | N’achète pas de pain ! |
For 'tu', use 'Ne nage pas!'
For 'nous', it's 'Ne soyons pas en retard!'
Conclusion
Negative commands reverse the directive by inserting negation around the verb, making instructions clear on what not to do.
- Use ne ... pas (or other negatives) around the verb for tu, nous, vous.
- For verbs with pronouns, include them inside the negation in the correct order.
For 'vous' many verbs, it's 'N’écoutez pas!'
In negative commands, pronouns go before the verb, all inside ne...pas.
For 'nous': N’écrivons pas la lettre! With DO pronoun: Ne l’écrivons pas!
For 'tu', 'faire' is 'Ne fais pas!'