Negatives Negatives

‘‘I don’t knowI don’t know’ ’ ‘‘Je ne sais pasJe ne sais pas’.’.

How are they written ?How are they written ?

As we know, negatives in French are As we know, negatives in French are made up of two words, ‘ne’ and something made up of two words, ‘ne’ and something

else (e.g. ‘pas’)else (e.g. ‘pas’)

These words are usually written around These words are usually written around the verb.the verb.

Je Je nene pense pense pas.pas.

Nous Nous n’n’ avons avons pas.pas.

Types of negativesTypes of negativesIn year 10, there are three negative In year 10, there are three negative

phrases we need to know.phrases we need to know.

Ne … pasNe … pas

Ne … jamaisNe … jamais

Ne … rienNe … rien

Not Not

NeverNever

NothingNothing==

Let’s see how they work…Let’s see how they work…

Je ne tonds pas la pelouse

Je ne range jamais la chambre

Je ne fais rien à la maison

I do not mow the lawn

I never tidy the bedroom

I do nothing at home.

Special rules for negatives:Special rules for negatives:

Be aware that in French, when using Be aware that in French, when using negativesnegatives relating to relating to PLURALPLURAL things, we use things, we use

‘de’ after the negative (‘de’ after the negative (not not ‘des’), and we drop ‘des’), and we drop the reference to the number.the reference to the number.

J’ ai deux freres.

Je n’n’ ai ai paspas de freres.

… … also…also…In a phrase using In a phrase using du / de la / desdu / de la / des, the negative , the negative version of the same phrase ALWAYS uses ‘de’ version of the same phrase ALWAYS uses ‘de’

too.too.

Il y a du soleil Il n’n’ y a y a paspas de soleil.

Il y a des nuages Il n’n’ y a y a paspas de nuages.

Now give these a go !Now give these a go !Translate these phrases to French.Translate these phrases to French.

1) I do nothing.

2) You (pl) We don’t tidy the house

3) I never wash the car

4) I don’t do the dishes

5) I never set the table

6) I don’t do DIY

7) He never walks the dog

8) She does nothing

……Bravo !!Bravo !!

1) Je ne fais rien.

2) Vous ne rangez pas la maison.

3) Je ne lave jamais la voiture.

4) Je ne fais pas la vaisselle

5) Je ne mets jamais la table.

6) Je ne fais pas le bricolage

7) Il ne promène jamais le chien

8) Elle ne fait rien.

Two verbs together …Two verbs together …In French when we have two verbs In French when we have two verbs

together, the negative phrase goes together, the negative phrase goes around the first verb.around the first verb.

Je Je nene doisdois paspas rangerranger la la chambrechambre

Je Je nene peuxpeux jamaisjamais fairefaire le le bricolagebricolage

So try these too !So try these too !Translate these phrases into French.Translate these phrases into French.

1) I never want to tidy

2) He doesn’t like to wash the car

3) He can never do the gardening.

4) I don’t like to set the table

5) She doesn’t like to walk the dog

6) They (m) never want to do the hoovering

7) We must not mow the lawn.

8) I never want to set the table.

……Well done !!Well done !!

1) Je ne veux jamais ranger.

2) Il n’aime pas laver la voiture

3) il ne peut jamais faire le jardinage

4) Je n’aime pas mettre la table

5) Elle n’aime pas promener le chien

6) Ils ne veulent jamais passer l’aspirateur.

7) Nous ne devons pas tondre la pelouse

8) Je ne veux jamais mettre la table.

That’s all

That’s all folks !folks !