By now, you know that you put ne in front of the conjugated verb and pas after it to make a sentence negative. But that’s not the only change that may need to be made. Compare the French sentences below:
J’achète une robe. (I am buying a dress.) Je n’achète pas de robe.
In addition to ne… pas, what else makes the negative sentence different from the positive one? That’s right! Une became de.
The general rule is this: If there is an indefinite article (un, une) or du, de la, de l’, des before the direct object, then that expression becomes de or d’ in the negative. This will be a lot clearer with some examples.
| All of these: | Become: |
|---|---|
| un | de or d’ |
| une | |
| du | |
| de la | |
| de l’ | |
| des |
Look closely at the examples in the table.
| J’achète une robe. | Je n’achète pas de robe. |
| Tu fais de la randonnée. | Tu ne fais pas de randonnée. |
| Il fait du bateau. | Il ne fait pas de bateau. |
| Nous nettoyons une maison. | Nous ne nettoyons pas de maison. |
| Vous faites du camping. | Vous ne faites pas de camping. |
| Ils achètent des voitures. | Ils n’achètent pas de voiture. |
Be careful! This rule does not apply to definite articles (le, la, l’) used before the direct object.
Try this practice to check your understanding of how to write negative sentences in French. Remember to pay attention to whether the article in from of the direct object is definite or indefinite or uses a form of de.
Which sentence is correct?
- Il ne fait pas bateau.
- Il ne fait pas du bateau.
- Il ne fait pas de bateau.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ becomes de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ becomes de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ becomes de or d’ in the negative.
Which sentence is correct?
- Ils ne lavent pas de voiture.
- Ils ne lavent pas des voiture.
- Ils ne lavent une voiture.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Which sentence is correct?
- Je ne fais pas de camping.
- Je ne fais de camping.
- Je ne fais pas du camping.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Remember that un, une, du, de la, des, de l’ become de or d’ in the negative.
Which sentence is correct?
- Tu n’achètes un livre?
- Tu n’achètes pas un livre?
- Tu n’achètes pas le livre?
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Which sentence is correct?
- Nous mangeons pas le sandwich.
- Nous ne mangeons pas un sandwich.
- Nous ne mangeons pas le sandwich.
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Remember that the rule for changing to de or d’ before the direct object applies to indefinite articles (un, une), not definite articles (le, la, l’).
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
How did you do? The last two questions were hard, weren’t they? You had to remember that the de/d’ rule does not apply to definite articles (le, la, l’) before the direct object. If had trouble with this activity, go back and review the explanations and examples before you continue to the next screen.
