To make negative sentences in French, we do it a little differently than in English.

Let's break it down step by step!

In French, a basic sentence is set up like this: Subject, Verb, Object.

For example:

• Marie mange une pomme. (Marie eats an apple.)

To change a sentence to negative, you add “ne” before the verb and “pas” after it.

Basic Negation: To turn a simple sentence negative:

1. Place “ne” in front of the verb.
2. Place “pas” after the verb.

Here's an example:

• Positive: Marie mange une pomme. (Marie eats an apple.)
• Negative: Marie ne mange pas de pomme. (Marie does not eat an apple.)

If the verb starts with a vowel, “ne” changes to “n’”. For instance:

• Positive: Il aime le chocolat. (He loves chocolate.)
• Negative: Il n’aime pas le chocolat. (He does not love chocolate.)

Using Pronouns: If your sentence has pronouns, the rule stays the same! Just remember to keep “ne” and “pas” around the verb.

Check out this example:

• Positive: Elle le voit. (She sees him.)
• Negative: Elle ne le voit pas. (She does not see him.)

Double Negatives: In French, using double negatives is normal! It doesn't make the meaning disappear like in English. Instead, it makes the negative stronger.

For example:

• Il n’a personne. (He has no one.) Here, “personne” helps make “ne” even more negative.

Adapting to Different Subjects: You can change the subject in your sentence, but the negation structure stays the same.

Here are some examples:

• Positive: Nous avons un chien. (We have a dog.)
• Negative: Nous n’avons pas de chien. (We do not have a dog.)

Another example:

• Positive: Tu fais tes devoirs. (You do your homework.)
• Negative: Tu ne fais pas tes devoirs. (You do not do your homework.)

Combination with Modal Verbs: When using modal verbs, like “pouvoir” (to be able to), the negation keeps the same pattern.

For example:

• Positive: Je peux venir. (I can come.)
• Negative: Je ne peux pas venir. (I cannot come.)

Remember, you can use “ne… pas” with most tenses in French. This will help you form negative sentences correctly!

Practice Examples: Try changing these French sentences to negative:

1. Vous regardez un film. (You are watching a movie.)
2. Marc a un vélo. (Marc has a bike.)
3. Ils participent à la compétition. (They participate in the competition.)

Use “ne” + verb + “pas” to create your answers.

As you practice making negative sentences in French, remember where to place “ne” and “pas” around the verb. This will help you make clear and correct sentences.

Using these tips will make you better at creating negative sentences in French and help you understand the language's rules even more!