Making sentences negative HIGHER FRENCH GRAMMAR Making sentences negative

Negatives you already know NE is shortened to N’ if the verb starts with a vowel or “h” NE … PAS = not = never NE … JAMAIS

= Negatives you already know VERB Make a negative verb sandwich! = VERB Remember, the negative goes AROUND the verb.

Negatives you already know After ‘pas’, du, de la, un, une and des become ‘de’ J’ai un frère (I have a brother) Je n’ai pas de frères (I haven’t got any brothers) Il y a une piscine (There is a swimming pool) Il n’y a pas de piscine (There isn’t a swimming pool)

Practice 1 Make the following sentences negative, using either NE…PAS or NE…JAMAIS as indicated: 1. Je regarde la télé (not) 2. Il joue au foot (never) 3. Elle écoute le prof (never) 4. Tu vas au cinéma? (not) 5. Il fait ses devoirs (never) 6. Je sors ce soir (not) Je ne regarde pas la télé Il ne joue jamais au foot Elle n’écoute jamais le prof Tu ne vas pas au cinéma? Il ne fait jamais ses devoirs Je ne sors pas ce soir

Other negatives NE … RIEN = nothing / not anything NE … PLUS There are another 6 negatives you need to know: NE … RIEN NE … PLUS NE … PERSONNE NE … QUE NE … NI … NI NE … AUCUN = nothing / not anything = no longer / no more = no-one = only = neither … nor = not a single, none at all

(He doesn’t do anything) Practice 2 Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: Il fait (nothing) Il ne fait rien (He does nothing) (He doesn’t do anything)

Practice 2 J’aime les pommes (no longer) Je n’ aime plus les pommes Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: J’aime les pommes (no longer) Je n’ aime plus les pommes (I don’t like apples any more) (I no longer like apples)

Practice 2 Elle écoute (no-one) Elle n’ écoute personne Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: Elle écoute (no-one) Elle n’ écoute personne (She doesn’t listen to anyone) (She listens to no-one)

Practice 2 Je regarde les films (only) Je ne regarde que les films Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: Je regarde les films (only) Je ne regarde que les films (I only watch films)

Practice 2 Je regarde Friends / ER (neither … nor) Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: Je regarde Friends / ER (neither … nor) Je ne regarde ni Friends ni ER (I watch neither Friends nor ER)

Practice 2 Je regarde les feuilletons (not a single, not any) Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: Je regarde les feuilletons (not a single, not any) Je ne regarde aucun feuilleton (I don’t watch any soaps)

Reminder NE … PAS = not NE … JAMAIS = never NE … RIEN NE … PLUS NE … PERSONNE NE … QUE NE … NI … NI NE … AUCUN = not = never = nothing / not anything = no longer / no more = no-one = only = neither … nor = not a single / not any

Practice 3 I don’t have a part-time job anymore Using the negative phrases you have just learnt, copy and translate the following sentences: I don’t have a part-time job anymore Je n’ai plus de petit boulot I don’t earn any money Je ne gagne pas d’argent I never go out during the week Je ne sors jamais pendant la semaine I never do anything in school Je ne fais rien à l’école

COMPOUND VERBS (a verb that is made up of 2 parts) Things to watch out for! You didn’t think it was going to be that easy did you? COMPOUND VERBS (a verb that is made up of 2 parts) When the verb is made up of 2 parts, the second part of the negative is usually placed after the first part of the verb.

(He hasn’t done anything) COMPOUND VERBS Make the following sentences negative, using the correct negative as indicated: 1st part of verb 2nd part of verb Il a fait (nothing) (He has done) Il n’a rien fait (He hasn’t done anything) 2nd part of negative 1st part of negative

COMPOUND VERBS Examples Copy and translate the following sentences: Je suis allé en vacances avec mes parents. > (I didn’t go on holiday with my parents) Je ne suis pas allé en vacances avec mes parents. 2. J’ai fumé >(I’ve never smoked) Je n’ai jamais fumé 3. Je veux travailler>(I don’t want to work anymore) Je ne veux plus travailler

COMPOUND VERBS 2 Ils n’ont vu personne There is one exception to this rule ne…personne. In this case personne goes after the second part of the verb. 1st part of verb 2nd part of verb 2nd part of negative 1st part of negative Ils n’ont vu personne (They didn’t see anyone)

REFLEXIVE VEBRS Je m’entends bien avec ma sœur (not) With reflexive verbs the first part of the negation is placed before the reflexive pronoun reflexive pronoun verb Je m’entends bien avec ma sœur (not) (I get on with my sister) Je ne m’entends pas bien avec ma sœur (I don’t get on with my sister) 2nd part of negative 1st part of negative

REFLEXIVE VERBS Examples Copy and translate the following sentences: Je me dispute avec mes parents >(I don’t argue with my parents) Je ne me dispute pas avec mes parents Le week-end, je me réveille de bonne heure >(At the weekend, I never wake up early) Le week-end, je ne me réveille jamais de bonne heure

JAMAIS / PERSONNE / RIEN Jamais, personne and rien can be used on their own -Qu’est-ce que tu prends au petit déjeuner? -Rien

PERSONNE / RIEN Personne ne le connaît Rien ne me plaît Personne and rien may also be subjects and will need to be placed at the begining of the sentence. Watch out! ne is still required! Personne ne le connaît (no-one knows it) Rien ne me plaît (nothing pleases me)

Copy and translate the following sentences: Recap Exercises Copy and translate the following sentences: Nobody knows where he is Personne ne sait où il est They didn’t hurry up Ils/elles ne sont pas dépéché(e)s I haven’t finished my homework Je n’ai pas fini mes devoirs She doesn’t want to lend me her car Elle ne veut pas me prêter sa voiture Our French teacher is never angry Notre professeur de français n’est jamais en colère

More practice If you want to practise a bit more, go to my blog where you’ll find a negatives quiz http://misscollins.edublogs.org or http://zut.languageskills.co.uk/361.html