Simple negations in French using "ne...pas": forming basic negative statements, position of negation in sentences, and common usage.
Simple negation in French is formed by placing two parts around the verb: ne (or n’ before a vowel) and pas. This construction means “not” and turns an affirmative sentence into a negative one. The verb stays in the same tense; only ne...pas is added.
- ne goes before the verb (or auxiliary in compound tenses)
- pas goes immediately after the verb
- ne becomes n’ before a vowel or silent h (e.g., n’aime)
- The subject and verb order remains the same
Examples
Here are some simple affirmative sentences turned negative using ne…pas:
- Je parle → Je ne parle pas (I do not speak)
- Il mange → Il ne mange pas (He does not eat)
- Nous habitons → Nous n’habitons pas (We do not live)
Conjugation Examples
Below are tables showing the verb “parler” (to speak) in three tenses, with and without negation:
Present
| Pronoun | Affirmative | Negative | French Example (Neg.) | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | parle | ne parle pas | Je ne parle pas français. | I do not speak French. |
| Tu | parles | ne parles pas | Tu ne parles pas anglais. | You do not speak English. |
| Il/Elle | parle | ne parle pas | Elle ne parle pas espagnol. | She does not speak Spanish. |
Passé Composé
Uses auxiliary verb + past participle; ne...pas surrounds the auxiliary.
| Pronoun | Affirmative | Negative | French Example (Neg.) | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’ | ai parlé | n’ai pas parlé | Je n’ai pas parlé hier. | I did not speak yesterday. |
| Tu | as parlé | n’as pas parlé | Tu n’as pas parlé au prof. | You did not speak to the teacher. |
| Il/Elle | a parlé | n’a pas parlé | Il n’a pas parlé en classe. | He did not speak in class. |
Imparfait
Negation surrounds the verb in its imparfait form.
| Pronoun | Affirmative | Negative | French Example (Neg.) | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | parlais | ne parlais pas | Je ne parlais pas fort. | I was not speaking loudly. |
| Tu | parlais | ne parlais pas | Tu ne parlais pas souvent. | You did not speak often. |
| Nous | parlions | ne parlions pas | Nous ne parlions pas français. | We were not speaking French. |
Position of ne…pas
- ne is always before the verb (or auxiliary)
- pas immediately follows the verb (or auxiliary)
- In compound tenses, ne...pas wraps around the auxiliary, not the past participle:
- Elle n’a pas fini. (not Elle n’a fini pas)
Using Pronouns and Negation
Negation does not affect the order of subject and verb. Example:
- Tu ne parles pas. (You do not speak.)
- Je ne sais pas. (I do not know.)
With object pronouns, negation surrounds the verb+pronoun cluster:
- Je ne le vois pas. (I do not see him/it.)
- Tu ne lui parles pas. (You do not speak to him/her.)
Colloquial Omission of “ne”
In spoken French, people often omit ne, but this is not standard in writing.
- Je ne sais pas → Je sais pas
- Il ne vient pas → Il vient pas
- On ne mange pas → On mange pas
Note: This is common in conversation but should be avoided in formal writing.
Summary
- Use ne...pas to make any verb negative in French.
- ne before the verb (or auxiliary), pas after.
- In compound tenses, wrap negation around the auxiliary.
- Be aware of the spoken omission of ne in informal contexts.
- Don’t change word order—just add ne and pas around the verb.
This is the foundation for negation in French. More complex negations build on this structure.
Flashcards (1 of 9)
- Pronoun: Je
- Affirmative: parle
- Negative: ne parle pas
- English Example: I do not speak French.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
