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How to Say ‘I don't understand’ in French

Je ne comprends pas

zhuh nuh kohm-pron pah

[zhuh nuh kohm-pron pah]

💬 Usage Tip: To say "not", wrap ne ... pas around the verb. Je parle becomes Je ne parle pas "I don't speak".

Phrase Breakdown

Je ne

zhuh nuh

I (do) not

Subject plus the start of the negation. Keep it light and quick: 'zhuh nuh'.

Example

Je ne parle pas italien.

I don't speak Italian.

Words in this phrase

Je

[zhuh]

I

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

ne

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

comprends pas

kohm-pron pah

understand not

'Comprends' (understand) has two nasal sounds: 'kohm-PRAHN'. The 'ds' is silent. 'Pas' ('pah') ends the negation.

Example

Je ne comprends pas la question.

I don't understand the question.

Words in this phrase

comprends

[kohm-pron]

understand

To grasp the meaning or significance of something.

Example

Elle ne comprends pas la question.

She does not understand the question.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Related guides

Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.Common French Phrases You'll Use Every Day (with Native Audio)The common French phrases and expressions people actually use every day: greetings, polite essentials, reactions and casual slang, with meanings and native audio.

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