In this grammar lesson you will learn how to say not in French.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- how to say not in French
- how to say it’s not in French
- how not and it’s not are used in French sentences
- how you can quiz yourself on how to say not in French
- how to practice with flashcards on how to say not in French
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A1 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about this fits in French A1.
By the end of the lesson you will know all about how to say not in French!
Table of Contents
How to say Not in French = Ne [Verb] Pas
In English it is quite easy to say “not“:
I am glad.
I am not glad.
All you need to do is add a “not” after the verb.
In French you need to add two words to say “not“:
- ne [verb] pas.
Using the same example as above we get the following:
Je suis content.
I am glad.
Je ne suis pas content.
I am not glad.
You can see that the verb in this sentence is “suis“.
We wrapped the ne…pas around it to make a negation.
Here’s another example:
Je suis prêt.
I am ready.
Je ne suis pas prêt.
I am not ready.
If the verb starts with a vowel or a mute h, then we use the following negation:
- n'[verb] pas
As you can see the ne has become n‘.
J’habite ici.
I live here.
Je n’habite pas ici.
I don’t live here.
So two wrap it up, here are the two forms for how to say “not“ in French:
- ne [verb] pas.
- n'[verb] pas (if the verb starts with a vowel or a mute h)
How to say It’s Not in French = Ce N’est Pas
One very important idiom in French is c’est (it’s).
If you want to say “it’s not” in French, then you would use the following negation:
- ce n’est pas.
You conjugate être in the il/elle/on form to make it est.
This is something that you wil use often in French, so it’s important to know it by heart.
Here are some examples for you:
C’est la meilleure solution.
It is the best solution.
Ce n’est pas la meilleure solution.
It is not the best solution.
C’est important pour moi.
It is important to me.
Ce n’est pas important pour moi.
It is not important to me.
Example Sentences with How to say Not in French
The final section of this lesson on how to say not in French is about seeing the negation in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to say not in French through examples.
Je suis content.
I am glad.
Je ne suis pas content.
I am not glad.
Je suis prêt.
I am ready.
Je ne suis pas prêt.
I am not ready.
J’habite ici.
I live here.
Je n’habite pas ici.
I don’t live here.
C’est la meilleure solution.
It is the best solution.
Ce n’est pas la meilleure solution.
It is not the best solution.
C’est important pour moi.
It is important to me.
Ce n’est pas important pour moi.
It is not important to me.
Quiz Yourself on How to say Not in French
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our French A1 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,764 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A1.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
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So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.
The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
- A vibrant community (including support from me)
You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
All you have to do is study 30 minutes a day and you will be fluent in no time!
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