Negative Adverbs in French

In French, negative adverbs play a crucial role in reinforcing negation and adding nuance to sentences. They enhance the negative meaning of sentences and provide clarity to the speaker’s intention.

Apart from the common form of ne+verb+pas there are several other types of negation where we use some other words than ‘pas’ to make the negation. They can be negative adverbs, adjectives or pronouns.

In this post we are particularly looking at using adverbs. These adverbs typically appear in conjunction with the basic negative structure “ne…pas,” replacing “pas” to create more specific negations. 

Sl. No.AffirmativeNégativeExemples
1quelque chose (something)ne……….rien(nothing, anything)J’achète quelque chose.
Je n’achète rien.
2quelqu’un (someone)ne … personne(anyone, no one)
personne ne …
(when personne is the subject)		Je vois quelqu’un dans le couloir.
Je ne vois personne dans le couloir.
Quelqu’un vient ce soir? Non, personne ne vient.
3. quelque part (somewhere)ne…….nulle part(no where)Il va quelque part cet été? Non, Il ne va nulle part.
4. toujours (always)ne……….jamais (never)Elle voyage toujours.
Elle ne voyage jamais.
Nous n’avons jamais mangé d’escargots.
5. encore (still)ne……..plus(no more)Il y a encore du lait dans la bouteille.
Il n’y a plus de lait dans la bouteille.
6.encore(still/yet), Déjà (already)pas encore (not yet)Nous avons déjà eu le vaccin.
Nous n’avons pas encore eu le vaccin.
7. le et les or du et desne…..ni….ni (neither…nor)
When we have definite articles we retain them in negation.		J’aime la glace et le gâteau.
Je n’aime ni la glace ni le gâteau.
J’achète du pain et des croissants.
Je n’achète ni pain ni croissant.

Partitive articles are usually not used in negative sentences.

Note: A partitive article is used when referring to an unspecified quantity of food, liquid or money. It is usually not used in English and does not have an equivalent but could be typically translated by the adjectives “some” or “any”. Eg: Je veux de l’argent. (I want some money). Je bois de l’eau.(I drink some water)

Personne and rien are two main pronouns that are used to express negation in French.

  • Rien – nothing, anything
  • Personne – nobody, anybody

Apart from being used in this normal structure as shown above ne+verb+rien and ne+personne. Personne and rien can also be used as the subject of the sentence.

Example:

  • Personne ne danse. – Nobody is dancing.
  • Personne ne se soucie de moi – No one cares about me
  • Personne ne vient ce soir. – Nobody is coming tonight.
  • Rien ne m’intéresse ici. –  Nothing interests me here.
  • Rien n’est ici – Nothing is here.

ne + verb + que = only

This formation is a little different from all the negation we have learnt so far. You may need to memorize this one. The format, ne + verb + que seems like a typical negation style; but it means ‘only’. The word ‘que’ precedes the noun in the sentence that is being limited. 

  • Elle ne boit que du vin. – She only drinks wine.
  • Ils n’ont qu’une fille – They only have one daughter
  • Je ne travaille que le lundi et le mercredi. – I only work on Mondays and Wednesdays.
  • Je ne dors que 5 heures. – I sleep only for five hours.

This construct is similar to using ‘seulement’ but both are valid constructs and you need to be aware of both.

  • Elle boit seulement du vin
  • Ils ont seulement une fille

There are many French expressions with the negative adverb “Pas” which are used widely in spoken French. It is good to be familiar with these phrases if you would like to sound like a pro. 

  • Pourquoi pas – why not  
  • Pas vraiment – not really 
  • Pas du tout – not at all
  • Pas comme ça = not this way
  • Pas si vite = not so fast
  • Pas trop = not too much
  • Pas souvent = not often
  • Pas encore = not yet
  • Pas de problème = no problem
  • Pas vrai ? = isn’t it true?
  • Pas sûr = not certain
  • N’est-ce pas = right? Isn’t it so?

Pourquoi pas aller au cinéma? – Why don’t we go to the cinema?

Vous aimez peindre? – Pas vraiment. – You like to paint? Not really.

Je vous remercie de votre aide – Pas du tout – I thank you for your help – Not at all.

Vous voudriez du poisson?-Pas trop – Would you like some fish? Not much.

Tu vas régulièrement au parc pour te promener? – Pas souvent – Do you go regularly to the park to take a walk? Not often.

Exercises

A. Fill in the blank with the correct negative form:

  • J’ai vu quelqu’un au parc. → Je _______ vu _______ au parc. 
  • As-tu déjà visité le Japon ? → Non, Je ______________ visite le Japon.
  • Il mange toujours des fruits. → Il _______ mange _______ des fruits. 
  • Nous avons encore du temps. → Nous _______ avons _______ de temps. 
  • Ils mangent souvent au restaurant. → Non, Ils ______ mangent ____________ au restaurant.
  • Elle va quelque part ce weekend. → Elle _______ va _______ ce weekend.
  • Vous prenez parfois le métro ? → Non, Je _______ prends __________ le métro.
  • J’ai déjà fini mes devoirs.  → Je _______________ fini mes devoirs
  • Ils aiment le café et le thé → Ils ________ aiment _____ le café et _______ le thé

B. Transform these affirmative sentences into negative ones:

  • Il y a quelque chose dans le frigo. 
  • Nous allons toujours au cinéma le samedi. 
  • J’ai déjà fini mon travail. 
  • Ils aiment le poulet et le poisson.
  • Je vois quelque chose d’intéressant dans ce magasin. 
  • Beaucoup de gens viennent à la fête ce soir ?

Plateau de Fromage: The Art and Tradition of French Cheese Trays

France produces hundreds of different types of cheese, ranging from soft to hard, mild to strong. Cheese is an integral part of French cuisine and culture. Many French cheeses have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, ensuring they are made in specific regions using traditional methods.

Some well-known French cheeses include Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Comté, and Gruyère. French cheese is exported globally and is highly regarded in international cuisine. France’s reputation for cheese is so strong that it’s often considered one of the country’s culinary symbols, alongside wine and baguettes.Many French cheeses are still produced using traditional, artisanal methods.

The tradition of cheese trays, or “plateau de fromage” in French, is an important part of French dining culture. The cheese tray is typically served after the main course and before dessert. A well-composed cheese tray usually includes 3-5 different types of cheese, offering a range of flavors, textures, and milk types (cow, goat, sheep).

Some common selections include:

  • A soft cheese (e.g., Brie or Camembert)
  • A hard cheese (e.g., Comté or Beaufort)
  • A blue cheese (e.g., Roquefort or Bleu d’Auvergne)
  • A goat cheese (e.g., Chèvre)

Cheese is often served with: Bread or crackers, Fresh or dried fruits, Nuts and sometimes honey or jam

Cheeses are arranged attractively on a board or platter, often with labels. Each person typically serves themselves, taking small portions of each cheese they wish to try. There are some unwritten rules, such as not mixing cheese knives or cutting the “nose” off a wedge of Brie. It is common to pair the cheese course with wine, often red or a dessert wine.

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