How to Say ‘Doesn't work’ in French
Ne marche pas
nuh marsh pah
[nuh marsh pah]
💬 Usage Tip: French often wraps [ne ... pas] around the verb: [ne marche pas] = "doesn't work." In everyday speech the [ne] is often dropped, so you may hear [ça marche pas].
Phrase Breakdown
Ne
[nuh]
not
First part of standard French negation around the verb.
Ne fonctionne pas, selon le chauffeur.
Does not work, according to the driver.
marche
[marsh]
works
From marcher, here meaning to function or operate.
Le lecteur marche seulement parfois.
The reader works only sometimes.
pas
[pah]
not
Second part of the negation, making the verb negative.
Ça ne marche pas aujourd'hui.
It isn't working today.
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