The Basic Structure
The most common way to make a sentence negative in French is with the words ne and pas:
* Ne goes *before* the verb.
* Pas goes *after* the verb.
Example:
* Je parle. (I speak.)
* Je ne parle pas. (I don't speak.)
Important Notes:
* Ne is often contracted with the preceding word if it ends in a vowel or a silent "h". For example:
* Je ne parle pas. -> J'ne parle pas.
* Elle ne va pas. -> Elle n'va pas.
* Pas is the most common negative particle, but others exist for specific situations:
* Plus: "no more" (e.g., "Je ne mange plus de chocolat" - I don't eat chocolate anymore)
* Jamais: "never" (e.g., "Je ne vais jamais au cinéma" - I never go to the cinema)
* Rien: "nothing" (e.g., "Je ne vois rien" - I don't see anything)
* Personne: "no one" (e.g., "Je ne connais personne" - I don't know anyone)
* Nulle part: "nowhere" (e.g., "Je ne vais nulle part" - I'm not going anywhere)
More Complex Sentences
* With verbs that have an auxiliary:
* Je veux parler. (I want to speak.)
* Je ne veux pas parler. (I don't want to speak.)
* With compound tenses:
* J'ai parlé. (I spoke.)
* Je n'ai pas parlé. (I didn't speak.)
* With negative pronouns:
* Je ne mange rien. (I don't eat anything.)
* Je ne connais personne. (I don't know anyone.)
Special Cases
* With "impersonal" verbs like "il faut" (it is necessary):
* Il faut parler. (It's necessary to speak.)
* Il ne faut pas parler. (It's not necessary to speak.)
* With "il y a" (there is/there are):
* Il y a un chat. (There is a cat.)
* Il n'y a pas de chat. (There isn't a cat.)
Practice is key! As you learn more French, you'll encounter these variations naturally. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and ask for clarification.