How to Say ‘Do not...’ in French
Ne... pas.
nuh pah
[nuh pah]
💬 Usage Tip: This is the classic French negation frame: "ne" before the verb, "pas" after it. Think of it as French making a little sandwich around the verb.
🇫🇷 In France: In everyday spoken French, people sometimes drop the "ne," but in polite or professional settings like a vet clinic, you'll often hear the full form.
Phrase Breakdown
Ne
[nuh]
not
First part of the standard French negation placed before the verb.
Ne... pas est utilisé dans « ne bougez pas » chez le vétérinaire.
Ne... pas is used in “do not move” at the vet’s office.
pas
[pah]
not
Second part of the standard French negation, placed after the verb.
Dans Ne... pas, pas complète la négation de la phrase.
In Ne... pas, pas completes the negation of the sentence.
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