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Carolina
When you use "pas" in french? Is it necessary?
¿Cuándo se usa "pas" en francés? Es necesario?
Jun 9, 2015 6:48 PM
Answers · 6
4
Hi Carolina,
Whenever you write or say a sentence with the negation, you're told to use "ne... pas" but sometimes, it's not necessary to keep both of them. "Pas" is absolutely necessary, but "ne" isn't. Examples:
Je ne veux pas aller au cinéma. (CORRECT)
Je veux pas aller au cinéma. (OK!)
Je ne veux aller au cinéma. (NOT OK!) --> Je ne veux aller au cinéma que si tu viens avec moi. (CORRECT!)
Il ne semble pas ravi de te voir. (CORRECT)
Il semble pas ravi de te voir. (OK!)
Il ne semble ravi de te voir. (NOT OK!) --> Il ne semble ravi de te voir que lorsqu'il a de bons résultats à l'école. (CORRECT!)
Vous ne vouliez pas qu'elle parte. (CORRECT)
Vous vouliez pas qu'elle parte. (OK!)
Vous ne vouliez qu'elle parte. (NOT OK!) --> Vous ne vouliez qu'elle parte sous aucun prétexte. (CORRECT!)
As you may have already noticed, sometimes we can remove "pas" because you add something after. The more often, we add "que + something".
If you want more information, please tell me.
Bye!
June 9, 2015
3
To make a French sentence negative, you need two words - one before the verb (ne) and one after. The one after the verb is sometimes 'pas' , but it can be another word, such as 'plus' (more) or jamais (never). For example:
J'ai de l'argent = I have some money
Je n'ai pas d'argent = I don't any money
Je n'ai plus d'argent = I don't have any more money
Can you omit the 'pas'? No, you can't. French speakers often omit the 'ne' in informal contexts and say 'J'ai pas d'argent', but you have to say the 'pas'. It's an essential part of the negative construction.
June 9, 2015
1
"pas" est utilisé pour exprimer la négation. C'est "not" en anglais.
Exemple: il n'est pas bien= he is not good..
June 9, 2015
"Pas" is usually necessary in everyday conversation, but in litterature you can find exemples in which "pas" is omitted like: "Je ne saurais le dire".
It's very intuitive, when you can remove the "pas", so if you're a beginner follow the rules given by Jérôme.
June 10, 2015
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Carolina
Language Skills
English, French, German, Spanish
Learning Language
English, French, German
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