The ne…pas construction is the most basic way to express negation in French. It surrounds the verb and translates to “not” in English. Here’s how it works:
- ne (or n’ before a vowel) comes before the verb
- pas comes after the verb
This construction can be used in all tenses and with all verb types.
Forming Negations
The simple negation follows this pattern:
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Je ne parle pas. | I do not speak. |
| Tu ne finis pas. | You do not finish. |
| Il n’aime pas. | He does not like. |
Note: The ne becomes n’ before a vowel or mute h (e.g., n’apporte pas).
Conjugation Example: parler (to speak)
| French Pronoun | French Negative | English Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Je | Je ne parle pas. | I do not speak. |
| Tu | Tu ne parles pas. | You do not speak. |
| Il/Elle | Il/Elle ne parle pas. | He/She does not speak. |
| Nous | Nous ne parlons pas. | We do not speak. |
| Vous | Vous ne parlez pas. | You do not speak. |
| Ils/Elles | Ils/Elles ne parlent pas. | They do not speak. |
Using Negations in Different Tenses
The ne…pas surrounds the auxiliary verb in compound tenses (like passé composé).
Passé Composé Example: manger (to eat)
| French Pronoun | French Negative | English Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Je | Je n’ai pas mangé. | I did not eat. |
| Tu | Tu n’as pas mangé. | You did not eat. |
| Il/Elle | Il/Elle n’a pas mangé. | He/She did not eat. |
Future Example: partir (to leave)
| French Pronoun | French Negative | English Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Je | Je ne partirai pas. | I will not leave. |
| Tu | Tu ne partiras pas. | You will not leave. |
| Nous | Nous ne partirons pas. | We will not leave. |
I did not eat: Je ___ mangé.
Je n’ai pas mangé.
In passé composé, ne…pas surrounds the auxiliary avoir: Je n’ai pas mangé.
Common Pitfalls
- Don’t forget the ne (even if some French speakers drop it in casual speech).
- pas can be replaced by other negatives (e.g., jamais, plus) to change meaning.
- In questions, ne…pas still surrounds the verb (e.g., Tu ne viens pas ? — Aren’t you coming?).
Recap
- Use ne…pas around the verb to say “not.”
- In compound tenses, surround the auxiliary verb.
- Works with all subjects, tenses, and verb types.
- ne becomes n’ before a vowel or mute h.
- Be careful to include both parts of the negation.
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- English Example: I do not speak.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
