How to form negative sentences in French

Forming negative sentences in French is straightforward once you understand the basic structure. Unlike English, French uses two parts to create a negative: 'ne' and 'pas'.

Basic Structure

The basic formula for negative sentences in French is:

Subject + ne + verb + pas + rest of the sentence

Examples

• Je ne parle pas français. (I don't speak French.)
• Elle n'aime pas le café. (She doesn't like coffee.)

Contractions

When 'ne' is followed by a word starting with a vowel or silent 'h', it becomes 'n'':

• Je n'ai pas de voiture. (I don't have a car.)

Common Negative Expressions

Other words can replace 'pas' to express different types of negation:

• Ne... jamais (never)
• Ne... plus (no longer/not anymore)
• Ne... rien (nothing)

Examples:

• Je ne mange jamais de viande. (I never eat meat.)
• Il ne travaille plus ici. (He no longer works here.)

Remember, in informal spoken French, the 'ne' is often dropped, but it's important to use it in written French and formal situations.

Practice these structures to confidently express negation in French!