🚫💪

How to Say ‘I can't manage’ in French

Je n'arrive pas

zhuh n ah-REEV pah

[zhuh n ah-REEV pah]

💬 Usage Tip: Arriver usually means "to arrive", but je n'arrive pas à plus an action means "I can't manage to". For example, je n'arrive pas à dormir "I can't sleep".

Phrase Breakdown

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[n]

not

Shortened form of 'ne' used in negation before a vowel.

Example

Il n'y a plus rien ici.

There is nothing left here anymore.

arrive

[ah-REEV]

manage (to)

With 'à' + verb, 'arriver' means to manage to do something.

Example

J'arrive à comprendre.

I manage to understand.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Guides for French learners

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.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.

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