12.7 Formal Negation Language Lesson

12.7 Formal Negation
Language & Culture Lessons
"Negation" is when you make a negative statement, perhaps you're refusing or denying another statement. For example:
"I don't want a drink" or "I don't like snails".
Without realizing it, you're forming this kind of sentence all the time in English.
Today you're going to learn how to do it in French. It's a little different, but it won't take long for you to get your head
around it.
Language Lesson
Construction of French Negation
The construction of the French negation is a little bit different as in English due to the two part negative adverb and
the sometimes difficult placement. The negative adverb « ne… pas » is normally the first one that learners come
across, but there are many more negative adverbs which are used just like the « ne…pas ».
To compose a sentence with a negative form, you will have to place the « ne » in front of the verb conjugated and
the « pas » after it.
Let’s look at some examples:
Vous ne pouvez pas ouvrir un compte en banque.
You cannot open a bank account.
Il n’a pas les papiers nécessaires
He doesn’t have the necessary papers
In compound verbs (for example in passé composé) and dual verb constructions, the negative adverbs surround the
conjugated verb.
Je n’ai pas fait la queue.
I didn’t line up.
Tu n’as pas pris les brochures.
You didn’t take the brochures.
When there is an indefinite article (un, une) or partitive article (de, du , des…) in a negative construction, the article
changes to « de » :
Ils ont une pièce d’identité
They have ID
Ils n’ont pas de pièce d’identité.
They don't have any ID
Ils ont des cartes de crédit
They have credit cards
Ils n’ont pas de carte de crédit
They don’t have any credit cards
Je n'ai pas d'argent
I don't have any money
J’ai de l’argent
I have money
In informal spoken French, you can find sentences where the « ne » is dropped:
Je savais pas
I didn't know
Je ne savais pas
I didn't know
Negative Adverbs
As mentioned above there are more negative adverbs and you will find them here with their English equivalents, as
their meaning is slightly different:
Ne ... pas du tout
Not at all
Ne ... pas encore
Not yet
Ne ... aucunement
Not at all, in no way
Ne ... jamais
Never
Ne ... point
Not
Ne ... guère
Hardly, barely
Ne ... pas toujours
Not always
Ne ... nullement
Not at all
Ne ... nulle part
Nowhere
Ne ... plus
No more, not anymore
And here are some example sentences:
Je n’aime pas du tout leur service.
I don’t like at all their service.
Ils n’ont pas encore déménagé.
They didn’t move yet.
Tu n’es aucunement responsable.
You are no way responsible.
Vous n’êtes jamais en retard.
You are never late.
Je ne suis point d’accord.
I do not agree.
Nous ne nous sommes guère vue.
We hardly saw each other.
Il n’est pas toujours d’accord.
He isn’t always agreeing
Nous ne voulons nullement venir.
We don’t want to come at all.
Tu ne le trouve nulle part.
You don’t find it anywhere.
Je ne veux plus jouer.
I don't want to play anymore
Culture
Your Favourite Food
Bread is a very common food in France; you can find « une boulangerie » or a bread shop, even in the smallest
town in France. In bigger cities you can find them at every corner. Some of them will make the bread traditionally
and others will make them industrial. There is something for everyone, traditional bread is normally visually less
attractive, but has better taste in general. The bread shops are not only offering wide varieties of bread like
baguette, flute, rye, multi cereals, gluten free… but also wide varieties of sweets breads such as « pain au chocolat
» (chocolate bread) and « mille feuilles » (pastry translated as “thousand leaves”).
The most unusual food you can get in France is frogs' legs (les cuisses de grenouilles) and snails (les escargots). It’s
not unusual to find them on the menu in high class restaurants. Some regions have them as their specialities. As
for the snails they are bred in the region of Bourgogne (Burgundy) and frogs' legs in the region of the Dombes
(close to Lyon in the department of Ain). French frog in an English speaking country is traditionally associated
with French cuisine and “The Frogs” is a favorite English derogatory nickname for the French.
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