Negation

Same shape, five different negative words. In every example below, the rose pills sandwich the verb — swap the second pill and the meaning changes completely, but the wrap never does.

Start from the English meaning you want, then pick the matching French branch. Every card below plugs straight into the same wrap you just saw.

• In the passé composé, the wrap wants to hug the auxiliary (avoir/être) and leave the past participle outside it. pas, jamais, plus, rien obey this. personne and aucun(e) refuse — they jump to the far side of the participle instead.
• Compare the two zones below: the pill lands in a different spot for one reason only — which negative word it is.

When a negated verb is followed by a direct object, "a / an / some" articles all collapse down to the plain word de (d' before a vowel sound). The noun stays the same — only the little article in front of it changes.

"Ne" survives or disappears depending on how formal the moment is. For the TEF/TCF, always act like you're in the right-hand column — spoken or written.

• Every rule you learned in the Learn and Rules tabs has at least one moment where it doesn't quite behave the way you'd expect.
• None of this is new grammar — it's the same ne…pas family, just showing its sharp corners.
• Six of them show up constantly on the TEF/TCF and in real conversation.
• Meet them here, with plenty of side-by-side examples, so none of them can surprise you on exam day.

• When you'll meet it
  • any time you talk about the past and the true answer is "no one" or "not a single one" — a job application nobody replied to, a landlord who never called back, a form no one helped you with.
  • This is the single most heavily tested exception in this whole chapter, in speaking, writing, and reading alike.
• How it works
  • in a compound tense (an auxiliary verb like avoir/être plus a past participle), most of the negation family — pas, jamais, plus, rien — squeezes in before the past participle, exactly where you'd expect from everything you've learned so far.
  • personne and aucun(e) refuse to follow that pattern: they wait until after the past participle instead.
  • English gives you zero warning that this is coming, because English never moves anything: "I saw nothing" and "I saw no one" both keep the negative word in the exact same spot.
  • In French, that symmetry breaks.

Put more pairs side by side and the pattern locks in fast — same sentence shape, same auxiliary, opposite side for the negative word:

• Je n'ai rien reçu de l'employeur. I received nothing from the employer. — rien sits before reçu
• Je n'ai reçu aucune réponse de l'employeur. I received no reply at all from the employer. — aucune sits after reçu
• Nous n'avons pas parlé au propriétaire. We haven't spoken to the landlord. — pas before parlé
• Nous n'avons parlé à personne d'autre dans l'immeuble. We haven't spoken to anyone else in the building. — personne after parlé
• Elle n'a plus travaillé après son accident. She didn't work anymore after her accident. — plus before travaillé
• Elle n'a rencontré aucun médecin disponible ce jour-là. She didn't meet a single available doctor that day. — aucun after rencontré

Je n'ai appelé personne à la banque. I called no one at the bank. (personne waits until AFTER appelé)

Quick check — place personne yourself

• When you'll meet ittalking about limits

  • how much money you have
  • how many hours you work
  • how many kids or documents you have — and it's an easy trap because the sentence still contains the word ne
  • so it LOOKS like a real negative.
• How it works
  • ne…que means only. It restricts an amount down to one option — it does not say "zero" or "none".
  • Because it isn't a true negation, it does not trigger the article swap from section 4 of the Learn tab (un/une/des/du/de la → de).
  • The article after que stays exactly as it would in the positive sentence.

A few more everyday examples of the restriction pattern on its own:

• Je ne travaille que le matin. I only work in the mornings.
• Nous n'avons que deux valises pour le voyage. We only have two suitcases for the trip.
• Je n'ai mangé que la moitié de mon repas. I only ate half of my meal. — in a compound tense, que sits right before the restricted word, after the participle

Quick check — restriction, not zero

• When you'll meet it
  • identifying or classifying something — correcting a misunderstanding on the phone, describing a document, reassuring someone during a stressful moment ("don't worry, it's not a problem").
  • This comes up constantly in casual speaking and in Section A writing.
• How it works
  • the article swap you learned (un/une/des → de) only happens when the negated verb is followed by a direct object — the thing the action lands on, as in "I don't have a car."
  • But c'est / ce sont isn't about having something — it's about identifying what something is.
  • When you negate an identification, un/une/des stays exactly as it is.

• When you'll meet iteverywhere you listen to real French — friends texting, coworkers chatting at lunch, French-language TV in Canada.
• How it works
  • in casual spoken French, ne is dropped constantly and it sounds completely normal — natives do it without even noticing.
  • But the TEF/TCF grades formal French, spoken or written, and formal French always keeps the ne.
  • Treat these as two different "outfits" for the exact same sentence: comfortable at home, dressed up for the exam.

• When you'll meet itagreeing with someone in conversation — a very common short-answer moment in the TEF/TCF speaking sections.
• How it works
  • aussi means "too / also", and it agrees with a positive statement. non plus means "neither / not either", and it agrees with a negative statement.
  • Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes even at higher levels, because English "me too" doesn't warn you which one you need.

• When you'll meet itdescribing how you did (or didn't do) something — leaving without eating, answering without hesitating, entering a building without showing ID. This shows up constantly in Section B writing and in higher-level speaking answers.
• How it works
  • sans means "without", and it already carries the "not doing" meaning by itself — it's a related, negative-flavoured structure, but it is not part of the ne…pas family and never combines with it.
  • An infinitive is the dictionary "to ___" form of a verb (manger = "to eat"); sans is simply followed directly by that infinitive, with nothing else added.

• Il est parti sans manger. He left without eating.
• Elle a répondu sans hésiter. She answered without hesitating.
• Vous ne pouvez pas entrer sans présenter vos papiers. You cannot enter without presenting your papers. — here ne…pas negates pouvez (the main verb); sans présenter itself stays simple, with no ne…pas inside it
• On ne peut pas ouvrir un compte bancaire sans pièce d'identité. You can't open a bank account without ID.

• This tab is for pattern-spotting, not reading start to finish — skim it and let your eye catch the shape.
• In every group, the first few sentences highlight the negation words in rose (like this) so you can see exactly where they land.
• Tap 🌐 EN in the top bar to reveal every English translation at once.
• Every sentence here is something you'd actually say in Canada — at the bank, with a landlord, at a doctor's appointment, filling out an immigration form, at the grocery store.

The default negation. ne (or n') goes right before the verb, pas goes right after it.

• Je ne parle pas anglais au travail. I don't speak English at work.
• Il n'habite pas à Montréal. He doesn't live in Montreal.
• Nous n'avons pas de compte bancaire ici. We don't have a bank account here.
• Elle ne travaille pas le dimanche. She doesn't work on Sundays.
• Je n'ai pas mon passeport avec moi. I don't have my passport with me.
• Vous ne comprenez pas la question ? You don't understand the question?
• Ils n'aiment pas ce quartier. They don't like this neighbourhood.
• Le bureau d'immigration ne répond pas aujourd'hui. The immigration office isn't answering today.
• Ma sœur ne conduit pas encore. My sister doesn't drive yet.
• Nous ne payons pas le loyer en retard. We don't pay the rent late.
• Tu ne manges pas de viande ? You don't eat meat?
• Il ne pleut pas ce matin. It isn't raining this morning.
• Je ne cherche pas d'appartement pour le moment. I'm not looking for an apartment right now.
• Elle n'accepte pas les paiements en argent comptant. She doesn't accept cash payments.
• Vous n'habitez pas loin d'ici. You don't live far from here.
• Nous ne signons pas le bail aujourd'hui. We aren't signing the lease today.
• Je ne travaille pas ce soir. I'm not working tonight.
• Il ne prend pas de médicaments. He doesn't take any medication.
• Les enfants ne dorment pas encore. The children aren't asleep yet.
• Je n'oublie pas mon rendez-vous chez le médecin. I don't forget my doctor's appointment.
• Elle ne finit pas son quart avant minuit. She doesn't finish her shift before midnight.
• Nous n'utilisons pas cette carte de crédit. We don't use this credit card.
• Tu ne réponds pas au téléphone ? You don't answer the phone?
• Le magasin ne vend pas de pain aujourd'hui. The store doesn't sell bread today.
• Je ne connais pas bien cette ville. I don't know this city well.
• Ils n'ont pas encore reçu leur carte de résident permanent. They haven't received their permanent resident card yet.
• Vous ne remplissez pas le bon formulaire. You're not filling out the right form.
• Elle ne conduit pas vite en hiver. She doesn't drive fast in winter.
• Nous n'avons pas de voiture. We don't have a car.
• Je ne bois pas de café le soir. I don't drink coffee in the evening.

Same wrap as pas, just swap the second word for jamais.

• Je ne fume jamais. I never smoke.
• Il n'arrive jamais en retard au travail. He's never late for work.
• Nous ne laissons jamais la porte ouverte. We never leave the door open.
• Elle ne mange jamais de viande rouge. She never eats red meat.
• Tu ne réponds jamais à mes messages. You never reply to my messages.
• Le propriétaire n'appelle jamais avant de visiter. The landlord never calls before visiting.
• Je ne conduis jamais après un verre. I never drive after a drink.
• Ils ne paient jamais en retard. They never pay late.
• Nous n'allons jamais à la banque le lundi. We never go to the bank on Mondays.
• Vous ne prenez jamais de vacances en hiver ? You never take a vacation in winter?
• Elle ne dort jamais avant minuit. She never sleeps before midnight.
• Il n'oublie jamais son rendez-vous chez le médecin. He never forgets his doctor's appointment.
• Je ne sors jamais sans mon parapluie ici. I never go out without my umbrella here.
• Nous ne mangeons jamais au restaurant le mardi. We never eat out on Tuesdays.
• Le médecin ne travaille jamais le week-end. The doctor never works on weekends.
• Tu ne rentres jamais avant dix-huit heures. You never get home before 6 p.m.
• Elle n'utilise jamais son ancienne adresse. She never uses her old address.
• Je ne perds jamais mes documents d'immigration. I never lose my immigration documents.
• Ils ne visitent jamais l'appartement sans rendez-vous. They never visit the apartment without an appointment.
• Nous ne laissons jamais le chauffage allumé toute la nuit. We never leave the heat on all night.

Same wrap again, this time with plus. It marks something that used to be true and now isn't.

• Elle n'habite plus ici. She doesn't live here anymore.
• Je ne travaille plus pour cette entreprise. I no longer work for this company.
• Nous n'avons plus d'argent sur ce compte. We don't have any money left in this account.
• Il ne vit plus avec ses parents. He no longer lives with his parents.
• Tu ne prends plus le même autobus ? You don't take the same bus anymore?
• Le magasin ne vend plus ce produit. The store no longer sells this product.
• Je n'ai plus besoin de mon ancien visa. I no longer need my old visa.
• Elle ne travaille plus le samedi depuis son changement de poste. She no longer works on Saturdays since her job change.
• Nous ne payons plus de frais bancaires ce mois-ci. We no longer pay bank fees this month.
• Ils n'habitent plus dans ce quartier. They no longer live in this neighbourhood.
• Vous ne recevez plus de courrier à cette adresse ? You're no longer receiving mail at this address?
• Je ne fais plus la queue le lundi matin à la banque. I no longer wait in line on Monday mornings at the bank.
• Il n'a plus mal depuis son rendez-vous chez le médecin. He hasn't been in pain anymore since his doctor's appointment.
• Nous ne cherchons plus d'appartement, on a signé le bail. We're no longer looking for an apartment — we signed the lease.
• Elle n'utilise plus sa carte étudiante. She no longer uses her student card.

rien sits like pas when it's the object. When rien is the subject, it opens the sentence instead: Rien ne…

• Je ne vois rien dans mon compte bancaire. I don't see anything in my bank account.
• Il ne comprend rien à ce formulaire. He doesn't understand anything about this form.
• Rien ne va au bureau d'immigration aujourd'hui. Nothing is working at the immigration office today. (rien opens the sentence, as the subject)
• Nous n'entendons rien depuis notre appartement. We don't hear anything from our apartment.
• Elle ne dit rien pendant l'entrevue. She says nothing during the interview.
• Rien n'est facile la première année ici. Nothing is easy the first year here.
• Tu ne trouves rien dans le frigo ? You don't find anything in the fridge?
• Je ne change rien à mon horaire de travail. I'm not changing anything about my work schedule.
• Il ne reste rien dans le compte après le loyer. There's nothing left in the account after the rent.
• Rien ne presse, prenez votre temps pour remplir le formulaire. Nothing's urgent — take your time filling out the form.
• Nous ne devons rien à la banque ce mois-ci. We don't owe the bank anything this month.
• Elle ne sait rien de la nouvelle politique d'immigration. She doesn't know anything about the new immigration policy.
• Je ne mange rien avant mon rendez-vous chez le médecin. I don't eat anything before my doctor's appointment.
• Rien ne bouge à l'épicerie le dimanche matin. Nothing's moving at the grocery store on Sunday morning.
• Vous ne perdez rien à poser la question. You lose nothing by asking the question.

personne sits like pas in simple tenses. As the subject, it opens the sentence: Personne ne… Watch what happens to personne in the passé composé — section 10 below.

• Je ne connais personne dans ce quartier. I don't know anyone in this neighbourhood.
• Il ne parle à personne au bureau. He doesn't talk to anyone at the office.
• Personne ne répond au téléphone de l'agence. No one is answering the agency's phone. (personne as the subject)
• Nous n'invitons personne pour la visite de l'appartement. We're not inviting anyone to the apartment viewing.
• Elle ne voit personne le dimanche. She doesn't see anyone on Sundays.
• Personne ne comprend ce formulaire d'immigration. No one understands this immigration form.
• Tu ne demandes de l'aide à personne ? You're not asking anyone for help?
• Je ne dérange personne avec mes questions à la banque. I'm not bothering anyone with my questions at the bank.
• Il ne fait confiance à personne pour garder les clés. He doesn't trust anyone to keep the keys.
• Personne ne travaille après dix-sept heures ici. No one works here after 5 p.m.
• Nous ne connaissons personne d'autre dans l'immeuble. We don't know anyone else in the building.
• Elle ne blâme personne pour le retard du visa. She doesn't blame anyone for the visa delay.
• Je n'appelle personne avant neuf heures le matin. I don't call anyone before 9 a.m.
• Personne n'attend devant la banque à cette heure. No one is waiting in front of the bank at this hour.
• Vous ne dérangez personne en posant cette question au médecin. You're not bothering anyone by asking the doctor this question.

aucun(e) matches the gender of the noun and stays singular even when the English sounds plural ("no documents" = aucun document, never aucuns documents).

• Je n'ai aucun problème avec mon compte bancaire. I don't have any problem with my bank account.
• Il n'a aucune expérience dans ce domaine. He has no experience in this field. (aucune — feminine, matches expérience)
• Nous n'avons aucun document manquant. We're missing no documents.
• Elle n'a aucune idée du prix du loyer ici. She has no idea what the rent costs here.
• Je n'ai aucun doute sur ma demande d'immigration. I have no doubt about my immigration application.
• Il n'y a aucune place disponible dans cet immeuble. There's no unit available in this building.
• Nous n'avons aucune raison de nous inquiéter pour le rendez-vous. We have no reason to worry about the appointment.
• Tu n'as aucun message de l'agence aujourd'hui ? You don't have any message from the agency today?
• Elle n'a aucune préférence pour l'appartement. She has no preference for the apartment.
• Je n'ai aucun retard sur mes paiements. I have no late payments.
• Il n'existe aucune solution simple pour ce problème de visa. There's no simple solution to this visa problem.
• Nous n'avons aucun souvenir de cette adresse. We have no memory of this address.
• Aucun employé ne travaille après dix-huit heures à la banque. No employee works past 6 p.m. at the bank. (aucun as the subject)
• Elle n'a aucune allergie, d'après le médecin. She has no allergies, according to the doctor.
• Je n'ai aucune carte de crédit canadienne pour le moment. I don't have a Canadian credit card yet.

ni…ni connects two negated things. The little words un/une/des/du disappear after ni — but le/la/les never disappear.

• Je n'ai ni stylo ni papier pour remplir le formulaire. I have neither a pen nor paper to fill out the form.
• Il n'a ni compte bancaire ni carte de crédit ici. He has neither a bank account nor a credit card here.
• Nous n'avons ni chaise ni table dans le nouvel appartement. We have neither a chair nor a table in the new apartment.
• Elle ne parle ni anglais ni français couramment. She speaks neither English nor French fluently.
• Je n'ai ni frère ni sœur au Canada. I have no brother or sister in Canada.
• Il n'accepte ni chèque ni argent comptant. He accepts neither cheques nor cash.
• Nous ne payons ni le gaz ni l'électricité dans ce bail. We pay for neither the gas nor the electricity in this lease. (le/l' stay — definite articles never drop)
• Elle n'a ni fièvre ni toux, d'après le médecin. She has neither a fever nor a cough, according to the doctor.
• Je ne connais ni le propriétaire ni le concierge. I know neither the landlord nor the building manager.
• Ils n'ont ni voiture ni vélo pour aller au travail. They have neither a car nor a bike to get to work.

A quick way to agree with someone else's negative statement — no wrap needed, it just stands alone at the end of a short reply.

• « Je n'ai pas de compte bancaire ici. » « Moi non plus. » "I don't have a bank account here." "Me neither."
• « Il ne travaille pas aujourd'hui. » « Elle non plus. » "He's not working today." "Neither is she."
• « Nous n'aimons pas ce quartier. » « Nous non plus. » "We don't like this neighbourhood." "Neither do we."
• « Je ne comprends pas ce formulaire. » « Moi non plus, c'est compliqué. » "I don't understand this form." "Me neither, it's complicated."
• « Ils n'ont pas encore reçu leur carte de résident permanent. » « Nous non plus. » "They haven't received their PR card yet." "Neither have we."
• « Elle ne parle pas espagnol. » « Moi non plus. » "She doesn't speak Spanish." "Me neither."
• « Vous n'avez pas de rendez-vous cette semaine ? » « Non, et lui non plus. » "You don't have an appointment this week?" "No, and neither does he."
• « Je n'ai pas faim. » « Moi non plus, on a mangé tard. » "I'm not hungry." "Me neither, we ate late."

It uses ne, but que restricts an amount down to one option — it doesn't mean "zero". "Je n'ai que deux enfants" still means you have children.

• Je n'ai que deux enfants. I only have two children.
• Il ne travaille que le matin. He only works in the morning.
• Nous n'avons que cent dollars sur ce compte. We only have a hundred dollars in this account.
• Elle ne parle que français à la maison. She only speaks French at home.
• Je n'ai que trois documents à apporter au rendez-vous. I only have three documents to bring to the appointment.
• Il ne reste que dix minutes avant la fermeture de la banque. There are only ten minutes left before the bank closes.
• Nous ne visitons que deux appartements cette semaine. We're only viewing two apartments this week.
• Tu n'as que vingt dollars en argent comptant ? You only have twenty dollars in cash?
• Elle ne prend que le bus le matin, pas le métro. She only takes the bus in the morning, not the subway.
• Je n'ai que la moitié des papiers pour le visa. I only have half the papers for the visa.

pas, jamais, plus, rien squeeze in before the past participle, same as always. personne and aucun(e) break the pattern and land after it instead — compare items 4 and 5 below side by side.

• Je n'ai pas mangé avant le rendez-vous. I didn't eat before the appointment.
• Il n'est jamais arrivé en retard au travail. He has never arrived late to work.
• Elle n'a rien dit pendant l'entrevue à la banque. She said nothing during the interview at the bank.
• Je n'ai rien vu de suspect dans mon compte bancaire. I didn't see anything suspicious in my bank account. (rien — BEFORE vu)
• Je n'ai vu personne dans le hall de l'immeuble. I didn't see anyone in the lobby of the building. (personne — AFTER vu, the exception)
• Il n'a plus travaillé ici après son changement de statut. He no longer worked here after his status change.
• Nous n'avons pas reçu la lettre de l'agence. We haven't received the letter from the agency.
• Elle n'a jamais visité cet appartement avant de signer. She had never visited this apartment before signing.
• Ils n'ont rien signé sans lire le bail. They didn't sign anything without reading the lease.
• Je n'ai parlé à personne avant mon rendez-vous chez le médecin. I didn't speak to anyone before my doctor's appointment.
• Nous n'avons lu aucun document avant de poser des questions. We haven't read any document before asking questions.
• Il n'a acheté aucune assurance pour l'appartement. He didn't buy any insurance for the apartment.
• Elle n'a trouvé aucune erreur dans le formulaire. She didn't find any error on the form.
• Je n'ai pas encore payé le loyer de ce mois. I haven't paid this month's rent yet.
• Nous n'avons jamais eu de problème avec ce propriétaire. We've never had a problem with this landlord.
• Vous n'avez plus besoin de cette carte, n'est-ce pas ? You don't need this card anymore, do you?
• Il n'a rien mangé depuis ce matin. He hasn't eaten anything since this morning.
• Je n'ai vu personne au comptoir de la banque à midi. I didn't see anyone at the bank counter at noon.
• Elle n'a contacté personne à l'ambassade cette semaine. She didn't contact anyone at the embassy this week.
• Nous n'avons reçu aucune réponse du bureau d'immigration. We haven't received any response from the immigration office.
• Ils n'ont jamais payé en retard depuis leur arrivée. They've never paid late since they arrived.
• Je n'ai pas terminé le formulaire de demande. I haven't finished the application form.
• Il n'a plus revu son ancien appartement depuis le déménagement. He hasn't seen his old apartment again since the move.
• Elle n'a parlé à aucun agent avant de signer le bail. She didn't speak to any agent before signing the lease.
• Nous n'avons vu personne à la clinique avant onze heures. We didn't see anyone at the clinic before eleven o'clock.

Before an infinitive (the "to ___" form of a verb), pas, jamais, plus, rien stay together, right in front of it — they don't wrap around it.

• Je préfère ne pas sortir ce soir. I'd rather not go out tonight.
• Il m'a dit de ne jamais revenir sans rendez-vous. He told me to never come back without an appointment.
• Elle essaie de ne plus dépenser autant chaque mois. She's trying to stop spending so much every month.
• Nous choisissons de ne rien signer avant de lire le bail. We choose not to sign anything before reading the lease.
• J'ai décidé de ne pas ouvrir de nouveau compte cette année. I decided not to open a new account this year.
• Il vaut mieux ne pas arriver en retard au rendez-vous. It's better not to be late for the appointment.
• Elle préfère ne parler à personne avant midi. She prefers not to talk to anyone before noon. (personne still jumps after, even with an infinitive)
• Ils espèrent ne plus déménager avant la fin du bail. They hope not to move again before the lease ends.
• Je te conseille de ne pas oublier tes documents d'immigration. I advise you not to forget your immigration documents.
• Il faut ne rien laisser dans l'appartement vide. You must not leave anything in the empty apartment.

An object pronoun (like le, la, les, lui, leur) slides in right before the verb. ne goes in front of the pronoun; pas / jamais / plus… still lands after the verb.

• Je ne le vois pas souvent. I don't see him often.
• Elle ne leur parle plus depuis le déménagement. She no longer talks to them since the move.
• Nous ne les avons pas encore reçus, ces documents. We haven't received them yet, these documents.
• Il ne me connaît pas très bien. He doesn't know me very well.
• Tu ne lui téléphones jamais le soir ? You never call him in the evening?
• Je ne vous dérange pas, j'espère ? I'm not bothering you, I hope?
• Elle ne nous a rien dit sur le nouveau loyer. She told us nothing about the new rent.
• Ils ne l'appellent plus depuis le changement d'agence. They no longer call him since the agency change.
• Je ne te comprends pas bien au téléphone. I don't understand you well on the phone.
• Nous ne lui avons pas encore envoyé le formulaire. We haven't sent him the form yet.

Total examples in this tab:

• 183 full French sentences
• across 12 negation patterns — ne…pas (30)
• ne…jamais (20)
• ne…plus (15)
• ne…rien (15)
• ne…personne (15)
• ne…aucun(e) (15)
• ne…ni…ni (10)
• non plus (8)
• ne…que (10)
• negation in the passé composé (25)
• negation with an infinitive (10)
• and negation with an object pronoun (10)

• Each slip below comes from a habit in your first language — completely natural, and worth noticing once so you can catch it before the exam.
• The last one isn't really tied to Hindi or Punjabi at all — it trips up everyone, whatever language they grew up speaking.

• These are the negation slips that cost the most marks, sorted by type.
• Read the wrong version, then the fix, then the why — then practise the same pattern live in the Drills tab.
• Section C below is the single most important one in this whole chapter: give it extra attention.

A · Forgetting "ne" entirely

B · Misplacing "pas"

C · personne / aucun(e) placed BEFORE the past participle instead of after — the signature error

This is the single hardest rule in the whole chapter. Every other negative word — pas, jamais, plus, rien — sits before the past participle, so it's completely natural to expect personne and aucun(e) to do the same. They don't. Study every row below slowly.

D · Forgetting the article-to-"de" swap

E · Confusing "personne" (no one) with "une personne" (a person, the ordinary noun)

F · Combining two negative words that don't stack in French

G · Treating "ne...que" as a true negative

H · Aucun / aucune gender agreement errors

I · Splitting "ne pas" around an infinitive

J · Word order with object pronouns

K · Over-dropping "ne" in formal writing

• In the speaking exam there's no time to build a negative sentence piece by piece in your head.
• So do these exercises out loud, fast: say each line, swap one word, say it again.
• The goal is for ne to come out automatically, every time — not just when you happen to remember it.

• Cover the right column. Read the question and answer immediately, out loud, with a full negative sentence — not just "non".
• Then uncover and compare. Why it helps: this copies the exam exactly — the examiner asks a yes/no question, and a good negative answer needs its own subject and verb, not just one word.

Speak your answer out loud first, then tap Show a sample response to compare. Every role-play needs several negative sentences in a row — not just one. (The samples show one good way to answer — not the only way.)

• Writing is the one part of the exam where you can go back and check your work.
• So build up in safe steps: one correct negative sentence → a longer one → a short connected paragraph using several different negative words → a paragraph written against the clock.
• Short and correct beats long and broken — a single dropped ne or a missight personne costs more than a plain, safe sentence ever will.

Both paragraphs below mix several negative words in a natural, TEF-style context. Notice where personne and aucune land AFTER the past participle, while pas and plus land BEFORE it, in the very same paragraph.

• Quick-fire practice on negation, sorted by type — reorder scrambled words into a full ne…pas sentence, drill ne…pas with everyday verbs, then work through the whole family (jamais, plus, rien, personne, aucun(e)), ni…ni / non plus, and the everyday trap ne…que.
• Two modes: 🟢 Pratique shows the answer straight away; ⏱️ Examen keeps the answers for the end.

Take a correct affirmative sentence and make it negative — or swap one negative word for another — without breaking the sentence. Two modes: 🟢 Pratique shows the answer straight away; ⏱️ Examen keeps the answers for the end.

Pick 🟢 Mode Pratique (correction + explanation immediately) or ⏱️ Mode Examen (corrections revealed at the end). You can open and close each category; every question comes with a full explanation that names the exact rule.

• Five stages, in order. Each stage is a different kind of work, and each one needs the one before it.
• Finish a stage before you open the next, and tick it when it is done.
• Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can close the page and come back.

• One honest rule: check a box only when it has been true for 3 days in a row.
• One good day can be luck — you might have just gotten lucky with easy sentences.
• Three days in a row means the ne…pas wrap and the rest of the family are really yours.
• Your checks are saved on this device, so you can close the page and come back any time.

• Learning a rule is not one jump — it is a ladder with 7 steps.
• Each step is a little harder than the one before it.
• For negation, that means moving from just recognising a correct ne…pas sentence, all the way to catching yourself the moment ne almost slips out.
• Climb the steps in order. It is completely normal to sit on step 2 or 3 for a while.

Read each line out loud. If it is true — and has been true for 3 days — check it. If you hesitate, that's useful too: it tells you exactly which tab to visit next.