How do I form the negative in French?
To form a negative phrase in French there are always two parts, called particles, which most go around the verb. For example, 'ne...pas': the 'ne' must come before the verb and the 'pas' must come after the verb. E.g. 'Je ne joue pas'.
In French, there are many other negative phrases, some of which are not negative in English. Here are some examples with their English meanings, they are used in exactly the same way as in the above example:
- 'ne...jamais' = never
- 'ne...que' = only
- 'ne...personne' = no one
- 'ne...plus' = no longer/ no more
- 'ne...rien' = anything/ nothing
In spoken French, the first negative particle 'ne' is often omitted (not said), but it must be included in written French.
ER
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