 | |
| Share / Tweet / Pin Me! | |
Pas sans ne
The first thing French students learn about negation is that the two parts of the negative adverb ne … pas are required on either side of the verb. In fact, pas is very often used informally without ne with several different parts of speech.
Pas + Adjectives
| – Il est grand ? – Non, pas grand. | – Is he tall? – No, not tall. | |
| C’est un homme pas fier. | He’s not a proud man. | |
| Pas bête, ça | That’s not a bad idea | |
| Pas possible ! | No way! That’s not possible! |
Pas + Adverbs
| – Tu as faim ? – Pas trop. | – Are you hungry? – Not very. | |
| – Comment ça va ? – Pas mal. | – How are you ? – Not bad. | |
| Pourquoi pas ? | Why not? | |
| J’en ai deux, pas trois. | I have two of them, not three. | |
| pas demain | not tomorrow |
Pas de + Nouns
| Pas de fraises aujourd’hui (on a sign) | No strawberries today | |
| Pas de sucre pour moi. | No sugar for me. | |
| Pas de problème | No problem | |
| Pas de pot | No luck | |
| Pas de panique ! | Don’t panic! |
Pas + Pronouns
| – Qui va conduire ? – Pas moi ! | – Who’s going to drive? – Not me! | |
| J’ai faim, pas toi ? | I’m hungry, aren’t you? | |
| Il vient à la fête mais pas elle. | He’s coming to the party but not her / but she’s not. | |
| Ah non, pas ça ! | Oh no, not that! |
Pas + Phrases
| pas du tout | not at all | |
| pas tout à fait | not exactly | |
| pas tout de suite | not quite yet |
Tag Questions
| Tu le feras, pas ? | You’ll do it, right? | |
| Tu viens, ou pas ? | Are you coming or not? | |
| Elle est belle, pas vrai ? | She’s beautiful, right? |
Verbs + Pas
See informal negation.
Related lessons
- Expressions with (ne …) pas
- Informal French
- Negative adverbs
- Ne without pas : Ne explétif | Ne littéraire
- Parts of speech
- Tag Questions
Share / Tweet / Pin Me!
This free website is created with love and a great deal of work.