To make negative sentences in French, we mainly use "ne... pas."

This means you put "ne" before the verb and "pas" after it.

For example, with the verb "manger" (which means to eat), you say "Je ne mange pas" (I do not eat).

This rule works for regular verbs ending in -er, -ir, and -re.

Let’s look at the regular -er verb "parler" (which means to speak).

In the positive form, you say "Je parle" (I speak).

In the negative, it changes to "Je ne parle pas" (I do not speak).

For irregular verbs like "être" (to be) and "avoir" (to have), you use the same pattern.

You would say "Je ne suis pas" (I am not) for "être" and "Je n'ai pas" (I do not have) for "avoir."

If the verb starts with a vowel or a silent "h," "ne" shortens to "n’."

So instead of "Je ne ai pas," you say "Je n'ai pas."

Adjective agreement is also important, even with negative sentences.

If you use adjectives, they should match the subject's gender and number.

For example:

• "Elle n'est pas jolie" (She is not pretty)
• "Ils ne sont pas gentils" (They are not kind).

You can add question words for more variety.

For instance, you might ask, "Pourquoi ne veux-tu pas venir?" (Why do you not want to come?).

This question uses our negative structure.

Finally, practice using negatives with different tenses.

In the passé composé (past), you say "Je n’ai pas mangé" (I did not eat).

In the futur proche (near future), you say "Je ne vais pas parler" (I am not going to speak).

Once you master "ne... pas," you'll improve in making clear statements and asking questions in French!