French grammar: négation simple (ne... pas)

What this grammar point covers

The simple negation in French uses 'ne... pas' to say that something is not happening or is not true.

When to use it

Use 'ne... pas' in French to make a sentence negative, for example, to say you do not do something, do not have something, or something is not true.

Key forms

• ne + verb + pas
• Example: Je ne parle pas.

Examples

Tips

• In spoken French, people sometimes drop 'ne', but in writing and exams, always use both 'ne' and 'pas'.
• 'Ne' comes before the verb, and 'pas' comes after the verb.
• If the verb starts with a vowel or silent 'h', 'ne' becomes 'n’', for example: 'Je n’aime pas.'

Exceptions and edge cases

• With certain verbs like 'être' in the imperative, 'ne' and 'pas' go around the verb: 'Ne sois pas en retard!'
• Some verbs use different words for negation, like 'ne... jamais' (never), 'ne... rien' (nothing).