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

Je ne comprends pas

zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah

[zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah]

💬 Usage Tip: To say "not", French wraps two words around the verb: ne before it and pas after. You can reuse this: Je ne sais pas "I don't know".

🇫🇷 In France: In casual speech the ne usually disappears, so you'll often hear Je comprends pas.

Phrase Breakdown

Je ne

zhuh nuh

I (do) not

The subject plus the first half of the negation 'ne...pas'. Say it softly: 'zhuh nuh'.

Example

Je ne sais pas.

I don't know.

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-prahn pah

understand (not)

'Comprends' is nasal, like 'kom-prahn', and its final 'ds' is silent. 'Pas' completes the negation.

Example

Désolé, je ne comprends pas.

Sorry, I don't understand.

Words in this phrase

comprends

[kohm-prahn]

understand

From the verb 'comprendre'; used to show understanding.

Example

Je comprends. Je comprends votre explication maintenant.

I understand. I understand your explanation now.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Related guides

How to Learn to Speak French, Not Just Read ItWhy reading French doesn't make you speak it, and a practical way to learn to speak French: real conversations, speaking out loud from day one, and practice with people.“Do You Speak English?” in French, and What to Say When You Don't Speak FrenchHow to say “do you speak English?” in French politely, what you'll hear back, and the phrases for “I don't speak French” and “can you repeat that?”, with audio.

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