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French · word

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ne ... pas

The forms you will meet: ne, n', pas, jamais, rien. It means not (the negation around the verb).

ne ... pas
grammar word

not (the negation around the verb)

Examples · 2

  • ne ... pas around the verb

    Nous ne travaillons pas le dimanche.We do not work on Sundays.
  • n' before a vowel

    Elle n'aime pas le café.She does not like coffee.

Forms

nen'pasjamaisrien

The forms

  • ne
  • n'
  • pas
  • jamais
  • rien

One sentence for each rule

Greyed letters are written and not pronounced. A tie marks a liaison, with the sound you hear under it. A label under a verb names its tense.

not (the negation around the verb)

  • ne ... pas around the verb

    Nous ne travaillons pas le dimanche.We do not work on Sundays.
  • n' before a vowel

    Elle n'aime pas le café.She does not like coffee.
  • ne ... jamais = never

    Paul ne regarde jamais la télévision.Paul never watches television.
  • ne ... rien = nothing

    Mon frère ne mange rien le matin.My brother eats nothing in the morning.
  • Je sais pas sont mes clés.I don't know where my keys are.

Questions people ask

How do you say not in French?
Ne ... pas. It means not (the negation around the verb).
What are the forms of ne ... pas?
ne, n', pas, jamais, rien.
When do you use ne ... pas?
ne ... pas around the verb; n' before a vowel; ne ... jamais = never; ne ... rien = nothing.
How do you use ne ... pas in a sentence?
Nous ne travaillons pas le dimanche. (We do not work on Sundays.)

Learn these words inside real sentences

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