🚫🤧

How to Say ‘I'm not coughing’ in French

Je ne tousse pas

zhuh nuh toos pah

[zhuh nuh toos pah]

💬 Usage Tip: "Not" wraps around the verb as ne … pas. In casual speech the ne often disappears, so you'll also hear je tousse pas.

Phrase Breakdown

Je ne

zhuh nuh

I (do) not

The start of the negation 'ne… pas'. Say it lightly: 'zhuh nuh'.

Example

Je ne sais pas.

I don't know.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[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.

tousse pas

toos pah

cough

The verb, then 'pas' to complete the negation. Pronounce it 'toos pah'.

Example

Il ne tousse pas.

He doesn't cough.

Words in this phrase

tousse

[toos]

cough

Form of 'tousser' used with 'je'.

Example

Je tousse le matin.

I cough in the morning.

pas

[pah]

not (negation)

Second part of negation in “ne… pas.” Together: “Don’t worry.”

Example

Ne t’inquiète pas, je ne dis rien.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying anything.

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.

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