Home / Learn French / A1 / Ne ... pas: saying "not"

Ne ... pas: saying "not"

Wrap the verb: je ne sais pas "I do not know". In speech, ne is often dropped: je sais pas.

Ne goes before the verb and pas after it. Ne becomes n' before a vowel: je n'aime pas.

Other pairs: ne ... jamais (never), ne ... plus (no longer), ne ... rien (nothing).

In the past, pas wraps the helper verb: je n'ai pas vu.

Pattern: ne + verb + pas

Practice this lesson

Updated October 21, 2026

Examples

• Je ne comprends pas.
  I do not understand.
• Il ne mange jamais de viande.
  He never eats meat.

In real sentences

• Je ne les ai pas.
  I don't have them.
  Tatoeba: Amastan
• Pas de mais !
  No buts!
  Tatoeba: Micsmithel
• Pas bien !
  Bad boy!
  Tatoeba: Micsmithel
• Je ne suis pas.
  I don't follow.
  Tatoeba: sacredceltic
• Ne me suis pas !
  Don't follow me.
  Tatoeba: sacredceltic
• Ne nous suis pas !
  Don't follow us!
  Tatoeba: Julien_PDC

Before this lesson

This unlocks after: A1 Core words 5.

← Question words: qui, quoi, où, quand, comment, pourquoiAller + infinitive: "going to" →