In French, negation is primarily formed using two parts: “ne” (or “n’” before a vowel) before the verb and “pas” after the verb. This structure is different from English, where “not” typically comes after the auxiliary verb.
Basic Negation Structure
Affirmative: Je parle français. (I speak French.)
Negative: Je ne parle pas français. (I don’t speak French.)
The “ne…pas” construction surrounds the conjugated verb:
| French | English |
| Je ne suis pas | I am not |
| Tu n’as pas | You don’t have |
| Il ne va pas | He is not going |
| Nous ne faisons pas | We don’t do |
Negation with Compound Tenses
For compound tenses like the passé composé, “ne” and “pas” surround the auxiliary verb:
J’ai mangé. (I ate.) Je n’ai pas mangé. (I didn’t eat.)
Other Negative Expressions
“Ne…pas” can be replaced with other negative expressions:
| Expression | Meaning |
| ne…jamais | never |
| ne…plus | no longer, not anymore |
| ne…rien | nothing |
| ne…personne | nobody |
| ne…que | only |
Examples:
- Je ne mange jamais de viande. (I never eat meat.)
- Elle ne travaille plus ici. (She no longer works here.)
- Nous n’avons rien vu. (We saw nothing.)
Negation with Infinitives
For infinitives, both parts of the negation come before the verb:
Il est important de ne pas mentir. (It’s important not to lie.)
Informal Spoken French
« Je sais pas » for I don’t know (instead of: « je ne sais pas »).
However, this is considered informal and should be avoided in formal writing or speech.
For instance, you can say « Je sais pas » with your friends, but you should write « Je ne sais pas » in a professionnal email.
Double Negatives
Unlike in English, double negatives are grammatically correct in French and intensify the negation:
Je ne vois personne nulle part. (I don’t see anybody anywhere.)
Understanding negation is crucial for expressing yourself accurately in French. Practice forming negative sentences to become comfortable with this important aspect of French grammar.