[Login]


Remember me
Remind me


100,000 members!
Join our free club and learn English now!







Get a free French lesson every week!
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Print
  • Guestbook
  • Report a bug


  •  
    Recommended:
    > English translator
    > Sites for teachers



    Grammar - Negation

    In order to say that one did not do something, the ne ... pas construction must be used. The ne is placed before the verb, while the pas is placed after.

    Examples

     Il est avocat.
    
     He is [a] lawyer.
    
     Il n'est pas avocat.
    
     He is not [a] lawyer.
    
     Nous faisons nos devoirs.
    
     We do our homework.
    
     Nous ne faisons pas nos devoirs.
    
     We do not do our homework.
    
     Je joue du piano.
    
     I play the piano.
    
     Je ne joue pas du piano.
    
     I do not play the piano.
    
     Vous vendez votre voiture.
    
     You sell your car.
    
     Vous ne vendez pas votre voiture.
    
     You do not sell your car.
    

    When negating with the indefinite article (un, une), the indefinite article changes to de.

    Examples

     Il a une pomme.
    
     He has an apple.
    
     Il n'a pas de pomme.
    
     He does not have an apple.
    
     Nous lisons un livre.
    
     We read a book.
    
     Nous ne lisons pas de livre.
    
     We do not read a book.
    
     Je mange une cerise.
    
     I eat a cherry.
    
     Je ne mange pas de cerise.
    
     I do not eat a cherry.
    

    When negating in the passé composé, the ne ... pas (in this case, n'... pas) are placed around the auxilary avoir.

    Vocabulary - School

     le professeur
    
     teacher
    
     l'étudiant
    
     student (m)
    
     l'étudiante
    
     student (f)
    
     
     
     le stylo
    
     pen
    
     le crayon
    
     pencil
    
     la calculatrice
    
     calculator
    
     le pupitre
    
     desk
    
     le tableau
    
     chalkboard
    
     la craie
    
     chalk
    
     le livre
    
     book
    
     le cahier
    
     notebook
    
     le papier
    
     paper
    
     la feuille de papier
    
     sheet of paper
    
     
     
     l'école (f)
    
     school
    
     le collège
    
     high school (grades 6-9)
    
     le lycée
    
     high school (grades 10-12)
    
     l'université (f)
    
     university
    
     la bibliothèque
    
     library
    
     
     
     l'examen (m)
    
     test
    
     les devoirs
    
     homework
    
     la classe
    
     class
    
     
     
     intelligent
    
     intelligent
    
     stupide
    
     stupid
    

    Note:

    • The word professeur is considered masculine at all times, even if the teacher is female.
    Top


    Instant translation: double-click on a word to get an instant translation (French <-> English)

    Copyright Laurent Camus (EFL teacher) ... Contact/Help | Terms of service | How to type French letters | [Sitemap] [All our exercises to learn French]

    Do not copy - Site protected by an international copyright .