Why is "it" in this sentence "la" instead of "le:" Tu ne la lui écris pas.
Look at these negative imperatives:
Tu ne me le donnes pas - Ne me le donne pas!
You don't give it to me - Don't give it to me!
Nous n'en faisons pas. - N'en faisons pas!
We're not making any (of it). - Let's not make any (of it)!
Tu ne la lui écris pas. - Ne la lui écris pas!
You don't write it to her. - Don't write it to her!
Vous n'y allez pas. - N'y allez pas!
You don't go there. - Don't go there!
When you use the negative imperative with object pronouns or adverbial pronouns (y, en), you keep the same order as in the normal negative sentence.
Note that you drop the subject pronoun tu/nous/vous
Note that you drop the subject pronoun tu/nous/vous
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Vous n'y allez pas. - N'y allez pas!
You don't go there. - Don't go there!
Tu ne me le donnes pas - Ne me le donne pas!
You don't give it to me - Don't give it to me!
Nous n'en faisons pas. - N'en faisons pas!
We're not making any (of it). - Let's not make any (of it)!
Tu ne la lui écris pas. - Ne la lui écris pas!
You don't write it to her. - Don't write it to her!
Q&A Forum 5 questions, 9 answers
Hi Lorie,
It is because in the case of the verb 'écrire' you automatically think we are talking about a letter which is,
la lettre
but I do agree with you that it isn't obvious.
If we were talking about an email ( un courriel, un mail) we would use 'le' -
Tu ne le lui envoies pas
Hope this helps!
Lorie asked:View original
Tu ne la lui écris pas.
Why is "it" in this sentence "la" instead of "le:" Tu ne la lui écris pas.
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StuartKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Order of indirect and direct object
You have these two examples:
Ne la lui écris pas! (Don't write it to her!)
Ne me le donne pas! (Don't give it to me!)
I see the underline under me le but I don't know how to interpret it. In the first example you have direct object (la) then indirect object (lui). In the second example the reverse: indirect object (me) then direct object (le). Is there a rule here that I'm missing?
Thank you
Asked 9 months ago
Hi Stuart,
There is an order for placing multiple pronouns after the subject pronouns in a sentence, and it is as follows -
me , te , se , nous, vous
then,
le, la ,les
then,
lui, leur
then,
y
then,
en
This is not true of the imperative affirmative commands when the pronouns come after the verb, separated by a hyphen, lots of lessons on this on Kwiziq...
Hope this helps!
Stuart asked:View original
Order of indirect and direct object
You have these two examples:
Ne la lui écris pas! (Don't write it to her!)
Ne me le donne pas! (Don't give it to me!)
I see the underline under me le but I don't know how to interpret it. In the first example you have direct object (la) then indirect object (lui). In the second example the reverse: indirect object (me) then direct object (le). Is there a rule here that I'm missing?
Thank you
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ScottKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Isn't the imperative of aller 'va' instead of 'vas'?
One of the questions on the quiz was: "N'y vas pas !" means: ...
Shouldn't it be instead: "N'y va pas !" means: ... ?
regards, Scott
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Scott,
Can you use the "Report it " button in your correction board as it links directly to the specific quiz you're referring to and makes it easier to make any correction.
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Scott !
Indeed, you're correct, this was quite a bad typo on our part :(
Thanks to you, it's now been rectified!
Merci beaucoup et bonne journée !
Scott asked:View original
Isn't the imperative of aller 'va' instead of 'vas'?
One of the questions on the quiz was: "N'y vas pas !" means: ...
Shouldn't it be instead: "N'y va pas !" means: ... ?
regards, Scott
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ShabbirKwiziq community member
Which one is the correct way to say 'do not forget': 'n'oublie pas' or 'ne pas oublier' ?
Somtimes I have seen imperative sentences with ne+pas+infinitive but I dont know the rule behind..
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Shabbir,
The difference is who it is adressed to -you use ne pas + infinitive when it is aimed at everyone, as a general request/caution. e.g.
Ne pas se pencher par la fenêtre (Don't lean out of the window)
Ne pas fumer (No smoking)
If you say "n'oublie pas d'emporter ton passport !" you are reminding the person you are talking to only. In contrast to the following general caution-
Ne pas oublier son passeport est important si on va l'étranger.
Hope this helps!
Shabbir asked:View original
Which one is the correct way to say 'do not forget': 'n'oublie pas' or 'ne pas oublier' ?
Somtimes I have seen imperative sentences with ne+pas+infinitive but I dont know the rule behind..
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ClareKwiziq community member
Pourquoi on change la fin du verbe pour l'impératif avec "tu"? Tu me la donnES - Ne me la donnE pas
Asked 2 years ago
Bonjour Clare !
This has to do with how to conjugate -ER verbs in L'Impératif.
Thanks to you, I've now added a link to the relevant lesson into that lesson:
I hope that's helpful!
Bonne Année !
Clare asked:View original
Pourquoi on change la fin du verbe pour l'impératif avec "tu"? Tu me la donnES - Ne me la donnE pas
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