3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ...

jamais - Lawless French Grammar

(https://www.lawlessfrench.c F R E N C H L E S S O N S A N D L A N G UAG E TO O L S F R O M L AU R A K L AW L E S S

Home

FAQ

Forum

Mot du jour

Progress w/ LF

Sitemap

Subjunctivisor

Support LF

Verb Conjugations

Welcome! 

About Laura K. Lawless

FAQ

French Essentials

French for Beginners

French for Travelers

Independent Study

Lessons by Level

Online Learning Tips

Privacy Policy

Relearning French

Subscribe to Lawless French

Lawless French (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/) » Grammar Lessons (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/)

Negative Adverbs

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 1/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/wp-content/uploads/negative-adverbs.png)

Share / Tweet / Pin Me! (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/wp-content/uploads/negative-adverbs.png)

Adverbes négatifs

Negative adverbs turn affirmative statements and questions into negative statements and questions. The most common English negative adverb is the word
"not," but French is a little more complicated – quelle surprise !  😉

Par exemple…

Nous sommes prêts.   We’re ready.

  > Nous ne sommes pas prêts.   > We’re not ready.

J’aime le café.   I like coffee.

  > Je n’aime pas le café.   > I don’t like coffee.

  There are two main differences between French and English negative adverbs:

1. The French adverb has two parts: ne, which precedes the verb, and pas (or another word or phrase, see below), which follows it. When the verb is inverted
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/inversion/), pas follows the subject pronoun (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/subject-pronouns/).

2. In English negation, the helping verb "do" must be added to most verbs (learn more (https://www.lawlessenglish.com/learn-english/grammar/negation-do/)).
This is not the case in French: if there’s one verb in the affirmative, there’s just one verb in the negative. Likewise, if there are two verbs in the affirmative, as
in compound tenses/moods (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/simple-compound-tenses-moods/) and dual-verb constructions, there are two in the
negative.

When there are two verbs, ne and pas (or another word/phrase) go around the first (conjugated) verb, followed by the past participle
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/past-participle/) or infinitive.

Par exemple…

Il a mangé.   He’s eaten.

  > Il n’a pas mangé.   > He hasn’t eaten.

Veux-tu sortir ?   Do you want to go out?

  > Ne veux-tu pas sortir ?   > Don’t you want to go out?

 However, when there’s just an infinitive (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/infinitive/) being negated, ne and pas stay together in front of it.

Par exemple…

Je t’ai dit de manger.   I told you to eat.

  > Je t’ai dit de ne pas manger.   > I told you not to eat.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 2/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

Il espère voir l’accident.   He hopes to see the accident.

  > Il espère ne pas voir l’accident.   > He hopes to not see the accident.

When a partitive or indefinite article (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/articles/) is negated, that article is replaced by de, similar to how English
changes "some" to "any."

Par exemple…

Je veux du pain.   I want some bread.

  > Je ne veux pas de pain.   > I don’t want any bread.

Avez-vous un stylo ?   Do you have a pen?

  > N’avez-vous pas de stylo ?   > Don’t you have a pen (any pens)?

  Informally, ne is often dropped in spoken French – learn more (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/informal-negation/).

Par exemple…

Je ne sais pas.   Je sais pas.   I don’t know.

Il n’est jamais à l’heure.   Il est jamais à l’heure.   He’s never on time.

French negative adverbs

ne … pas du tout (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/du-tout/)   not at all

Il n’aime pas du tout l’école.   He doesn’t like school at all.

ne … pas encore   not yet

Je n’ai pas encore mangé.   I haven’t eaten yet.

ne … pas non plus   neither, not either

Elle n’aime pas non plus le voyage.   She doesn’t like traveling either.

ne … pas toujours   not always

Tu n’as pas toujours raison.   You’re not always right.

ne … aucunement   not at all, in no way

Nous n’en sommes aucunement responsables.   We are in no way responsible for that.

ne … guère   hardly, barely, scarcely

Vous n’avez guère mangé.   You hardly ate anything.

ne … jamais (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/never-and-ever/)   never

Ils ne sont jamais en retard.   They’re never late.

ne … nullement   not at all, absolutely no

Je n’ai nullement l’intention de t’aider.   I have absolutely no intention of helping you.

ne … nulle part   nowhere

Tu n’as nulle part où aller ?   Don’t you have anywhere to go?

ne … plus   no more, not any more

Nous ne voulons plus de drame.   We don’t want any more drama.

ne … point (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/formal-negation/)   not (formal/literary equivalent of ne … pas)

Il ne fut point blessé.   He wasn’t wounded.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 3/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

ne … que   only

Les trois sœurs n’ont qu’une chambre.   The three sisters have only one bedroom.

 Related lessons
Introduction to adverbs (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/adverbs/)

Introduction to verbs (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/introduction-to-verbs/)

Subject pronouns (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/subject-pronouns/)

Negative pronouns (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-pronouns/)

Negative adjectives (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adjectives/)

Formal negation (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/formal-negation/)

Informal negation (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/informal-negation/)

Du tout (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/du-tout/)

Jamais – never vs ever (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/never-and-ever/)

Pas without ne (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/pas-without-ne/)

Negation lessons – PwLF super list (https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/notebook/974317)

 Share / Tweet / Pin Me!

(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/wp-content/uploads/negative-
adverbs.png)

Think you've mastered 'Negative Adverbs'? Test yourself now...

1 of 6 «Je ne me réveille pas très tôt» means

select ...

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 4/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

NEXT »

French proficiency test (https://progress.lawlessfrench.com#2-testmy-french) by

Share:

 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=facebook&nb=1)
 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=pinterest&nb=1)
13

 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=reddit&nb=1)
 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=twitter&nb=1)

 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=jetpack-whatsapp&nb=1)
 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/?share=email&nb=1)

 More

  Lawless French Files:   A1 French Lessons and Practice - Beginning French (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/a1/) adverbs (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/adverbs/)

negation (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/negation/) word order (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/word-order/)

Stay up to date with Lawless French

(https://twitter.com/LawlessFrench) (https://www.facebook.com/LawlessFrench) (https://www.quora.com/q/vngsqhnexrjjxfqf)

(https://www.instagram.com/lawlessfrench/) (https://www.pinterest.com/lklawless/boards/) (https://www.youtube.com/c/LawlessFrench)

(https://feeds.feedblitz.com/LawlessFrench) (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/learn-french/subscribe-to-lawless-french/)

 PREVIOUS NEXT 
Translating Infinitives, Imperatives, and Participles tarabiscoté (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/vocabulary/mot-du-jour/tarabiscote/)
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/verb-conjugations-translating-
imperatives-infinitives-participles/)

       

Any Questions? Support Lawless French

  This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.

 Get help on the forum (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/bonjour/). If you love it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation
   (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/support-lawless-french/).
 
Your support is entirely optional but tremendously appreciated.

More Lawless French

 Subscribe (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/learn-french/subscribe-to-
lawless-french/) to my twice-weekly newsletter.

You must log in (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lawlessfrench.com%2Fgrammar%2Fnegative-

adverbs%2F%23respond) to post a comment.

S E A R C H L AW L ES S F R E N C H

Search … 

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 5/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

P R I N T * S U B S C R I B E * FO L LOW

(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/learn-french/subscribe-to-lawless-french/) (https://feeds.feedblitz.com/LawlessFrench)

(https://www.youtube.com/c/LawlessFrench) (https://www.pinterest.com/lklawless/boards/) (https://twitter.com/LawlessFrench)

(https://www.facebook.com/LawlessFrench) (https://www.quora.com/q/lawlessfrench) (https://www.instagram.com/lawlessfrench/)

PA R T S O F S P E EC H

Adjectives (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/adjectives/)
Adverbs (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/adverbs/)
Articles (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/articles/)
Conjunctions (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/conjunctions/)
Nouns (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/nouns/)
Prepositions (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/prepositions/)
Pronouns (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/pronouns/)
Verbs (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/introduction-to-verbs/)

FRENCH VERBS

Most common verbs

aller être (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/etre- savoir

(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/aller- lesson/) (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/savoir-
lesson/) faire (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/faire- lesson/)
avoir lesson/) tenir
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/avoir- falloir (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/falloir- (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/tenir-
lesson/) lesson/) lesson/)
croire manquer vivre
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/croire- (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/manquer- (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/habiter
lesson/) lesson/) vivre/)
devoir pouvoir voir (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/vo
(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/devoir- (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/pouvoir- lesson/)
lesson/) lesson/) vouloir
dire (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/dire- (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/vouloir
lesson/) lesson/)

Verb lessons and tools

Conjugation lessons (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/conjugation-lessons/)
Conjugation tables (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/conjugation-tables/)
Verb tenses, moods, and voices (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/tenses-moods-voices/)
Verb timeline (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/verb-timeline/)

L ES S O N S A N D E X E R C I S ES

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 6/7
 3/6/2020 French Negative Adverbs - ne ... pas, ne ... jamais - Lawless French Grammar

Grammar (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/)   Listening (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/listening/)

Pronunciation (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/pronunciation/) Reading (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/reading/)

Quizzes/Tests (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/quizzes-and-tests/) Speaking (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/speaking/)

Vocabulary (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/vocabulary/) Writing (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/writing/)

L ES S O N S BY L E V E L

A1 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/a1/) | A2 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/a2/) | B1 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/b1/) | B2

(https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/b2/) | C1 (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/tag/c1/)    What’s my level? (https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/)

COUPS DE CŒUR

Subjunctive (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/subjunctive/)
French for Beginners (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/learn-french/french-for-beginners/)
Passé composé vs Imparfait (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/passe-compose-vs-imparfait/)
Telling Time (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/telling-time/)
Demonstrative Adjectives (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/demonstrative-adjectives/)
Encore vs Toujours (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/encore-vs-toujours/)
Que and Qui - Relative Pronouns (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/relative-pronouns-que-qui/)
Avoir (to have) - Verb Tables (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/verb-conjugations/avoir/)

© 2020 Lawless French. All rights reserved.     Privacy Policy (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/privacy-policy/)

Created by Laura K. Lawless (https://www.lawlessfrench.com/welcome/about-lkl/)
Hosted by PeoplesHost (https://www.peopleshost.com/#a_aid=lklawless)   Cassie (http://www.themememe.com/cassie) by ThemeMeme

(https://malcare.com?
src=DB311D&utm_source=mcbadge&utm_medium=usersite&utm_campaign=badge)

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/negative-adverbs/ 7/7