The Negative Form (Leaving Cert French): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
The Negative Form
French negatives are used to turn a positive statement into a negative one.
It's like saying "not" in English, but in French, you typically use two parts around the verb.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Ne...pas | not |
| Ne...point | not at all |
| Ne...nullement | not at all |
| Ne...plus | no more / no longer |
| Ne...guère | scarcely / hardly |
| Ne...jamais | never |
| Ne...rien | nothing |
| Ne...personne | no-one / nobody |
| Ne...que | only |
| Ne...nul(le) | no / none / not any |
| Ne...nulle part | nowhere / not anywhere |
| Ne...ni...ni | neither...nor |
| Je ne mange ni viande ni poisson | I eat neither meat nor fish |
Let's break it down with some examples and explanations:
- Ne... Pas (Not)
- Je cours à l'école. (I run to school.)
- Je ne cours pas à l'école. (I do not run to school.)
- The word ne is placed before the verb, and pas is placed after the verb.
- Ne... Jamais (Never)
- Je cours à l'école. (I run to school.)
- Je ne cours jamais à l'école. (I never run to school.)
- The word ne is placed before the verb, and jamais is placed after the verb.
- Ne... Plus (No More)
- Elle boit du thé. (She drinks tea.)
- Elle ne boit plus de thé. (She no longer drinks tea.)
- The word ne is placed before the verb, and plus is placed after the verb.