We form the negative by using “ne” and “pas” in French. Here is in the table below the structure of the negative form for the main French tenses:
| Temps | Forme affirmative | Forme négative | Negative Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Présent | Je parle | Je ne parle pas | I do not talk |
| Passé composé | J’ai parlé | Je n’ai pas parlé | I did not talk |
| Imparfait | Je parlais | Je ne parlais pas | I was not talking |
| Futur proche | Je vais parler | Je ne vais pas parler | I am not going to talk |
| Futur simple | Je parlerai | Je ne parlerai pas | I will not talk |
Also, the “ne” becomes “n’” when it is in front of a vowel or a silent h like for examples:
- Je n’ai pas parlé. I did not talk.
- Nous n’habitons pas là. We do not live there.
Negative form with “aucun.e.s”, “jamais”, “personne”, “plus” and “rien”
We don’t use the word “pas” to form the negative with the words aucun.e.s (none), jamais (never), personne (nobody), plus (anymore) and rien (nothing).
- Je n’ai aucune idée. I have no idea.
- Elle ne boit jamais de café. She never drinks coffee.
- Vous ne parlez à personne. You don’t talk to anybody.
- Nous ne regardons plus la télé. We don’t watch tv anymore.
- Je ne pense à rien. I am not thinking about anything.
Absence of the “ne” in spoken French
Often French speakers don’t pronounce the “ne” in spoken French like for example:
- Je sais pas. I don’t know.
Nevertheless, in written French, you have to write it.
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