Ne … pas — making a sentence negative
CEFR A1
French negation takes two words wrapped around the verb: ne before it, pas after it.
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| Je parle anglais. | Je ne parle pas anglais. (I don't speak English.) |
| Elle est ici. | Elle n'est pas ici. (She isn't here.) |
| Nous avons faim. | Nous n'avons pas faim. (We aren't hungry.) |
ne becomes n' before a vowel or a silent h — n'est, n'ai, n'habite.
In everyday speech the ne is often dropped ("Je sais pas"), but write both parts. The exam expects the full form.
More examples: "Je ne comprends pas." (I don't understand.) · "Il n'aime pas le café." (He doesn't like coffee.) · "Tu ne travailles pas aujourd'hui ?" (You're not working today?)
What this unlocks
- A1Du, de la, des — some of something
- A1The imperative — giving directions and instructions
- A1Reflexive verbs — se lever, se sentir, se reposer
- A1The passé composé with avoir — talking about yesterday
- A1The futur proche — what is about to happen
- A2déjà, jamais, pas encore
- A2Negating and questioning the passé composé
Knowing the rule is not the same as producing it.
This page explains the pattern. The track drills it: the point arrives inside a mini-dialogue, then production marked against a CEFR descriptor, then a module test that returns you to your two weakest sessions if you miss it.