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Negation is a grammatical term
for the contradiction of some or all of the meaning of an affirmative (positive) sentence.
In English, a sentence is commonly negated by inserting a single negative word (not, don't, didn't, won't , etc.) into the appropriate place in the sentence.
In French, a sentence is commonly negated by inserting two words.
![](../images/gr/transdot.gif)
basic negation
Ne ... pas is placed around the conjugated verb to negate an affirmative sentence in French.
Note that the ne changes to n' before a verb beginning with a vowel.
![](../images/gr/transdot.gif)
Joe-Bob, l'écureuil, court vite. |
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Joe-Bob, the squirrel, runs fast. |
Edouard, l'escargot, ne court pas vite. |
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Edouard the snail doesn't run fast. |
Trey aime le rap. |
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Trey likes rap. |
Joe-Bob n'aime pas le rap. |
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Joe-Bob doesn't like rap. |
![](../images/gr/transdot.gif)
alternate forms of negation
There are many other French words that one can use to negate a positive statement besides the basic form ne ... pas.
Moreover, negative words can be used to contradict the verb as well as other parts of the original affirmative sentence.
![](../images/gr/transdot.gif)
Joe-Bob écoute de la musique country. |
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Joe-Bob listens to country. |
Tex n'écoute jamais de musique country. |
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Tex never listens to country. |
Trey n'écoute que du rap. |
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Trey only listens to rap. |
Fiona n'écoute rien. |
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Fiona listens to nothing. |
Presque personne n'écoute de musique country en France. |
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Almost nobody listens to country music in France. |
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