NEGATION
MOST COMMON NEGATIVES ARE Ne ….pas – not Ne …jamais – never Ne …personne – nobody Ne …plus – anymore Ne …rien – nothing
HOW TO DO IT The negative form of a verb is usually achieved by placing « ne » immediatey before the verb and the second part of the negative after the verb.
EXAMPLE Elle ne parle pas français First part of the negation Second part of the negation VERB
With me so far?!!
MORE EXAMPLES I dont receive pocket money Je ne reçois pas dargent de poche I have nothing to do Je nai rien à faire My parents never understand Mes parents ne comprennent jamais
Ready to have a go?
EXERCISE (Do one sentence at a time) I dont have a part-time job anymore Je nai plus de petit boulot I dont earn any money Je ne gagne pas dargent 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 lécole
THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR You didnt really think it would be that easy?!!
COMPOUND VERBS (verbs made up of 2 parts) When the verb is made up of 2 parts, the second element of the negation is usually placed after the first part of the verb.
EXAMPLE Je nai rien fait Second part of the negation first part of the verb Second part of the verb First part of the negation
MORE EXAMPLES I didnt go on holiday with my parents Je ne suis pas allé en vacances avec mes parents. Ive never smoked Je nai jamais fumé I dont want to work anymore Je ne veux plus travailler
COMPOUND VERBS (verbs made up of 2 parts) Theres one exception to this rule! ne … personne In this case, « personne » goes after the second part of the verb. Eg: Ils nont vu personne
REFLEXIVE VERBS With reflexive verbs, the first part of the negation is placed before the reflexive pronoun.
EXAMPLE Je ne mentends pas bien avec ma soeur first part of the negation Reflexive pronoun
MORE EXAMPLES I dont argue with my parents Je ne me dispute pas avec mes parents At the weekend, I never wake up early Le week-end, je ne me réveille jamais de bonne heure
JAMAIS/PESONNE/RIEN « Jamais », « personne » and « rien » can be used on their own. Eg: - Quest-ce que tu prends au petit déjeuner? - Rien
PERSONNE / RIEN « 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! Eg: Personne ne le connaît Rien ne me plaît
Got it? Well done!
EXERCISE TO RECAP (answers on the next slide) Nobody knows where he is. They didnt hurry up. I havent finished my homework. She doesnt want to lend me her car. Our French teacher is never angry. You dont want to go anymore?
ANSWERS Personne ne sait où il est. Ils/elles ne se sont pas dépéché(e)s. Je nai pas fini mes devoirs. Elle ne veut pas me prêter sa voiture. Notre professeur de français nest jamais en colère. Tu ne veux plus partir?
MORE PRACTICE If you want to practise a bit more, go to the following exercise in Zut: