Look at the sentences:
Le professeur dit de ne pas courir
The teacher says not to run
Il est important de ne pas bouger.
It is important not to move.
Il m'a appris à ne pas avoir peur.
He taught me not to be scared.
J'espère ne pas faire d'erreurs.
I hope not to make a mistake.
Note that if a sentence has two verbs but it's the infinitive verb (a verb that's not conjugated) that requires negation, ne pas goes before the infinitive rather than around it.
Note: If there is a pronoun before the infinitive, ne pas precedes it.
Ma mère m'a dit de ne pas le faire
My mother told me not to do it
Je t'ai demandé de ne pas lui dire.
I asked you not to tell him.
See also Position of negation with two verbs (conjugated + infinitive)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Le professeur dit de ne pas courir
The teacher says not to run
Il m'a appris à ne pas avoir peur.
He taught me not to be scared.
Il est important de ne pas bouger.
It is important not to move.
Je t'ai demandé de ne pas lui dire.
I asked you not to tell him.
J'espère ne pas faire d'erreurs.
I hope not to make a mistake.
when there is a pronoun before the infinitive
Ma mère m'a dit de ne pas le faire
My mother told me not to do it
Q&A
William
Kwiziq community member
15 October 2018
3 replies
Can the infinitive be implied?
Can the infiniive be implied in this construction? For example: J’aurais pu traduire le titre, mais j'ai décidé de ne pas. (I could have translated the title but I decided not to.)
Chris
Kwiziq community member
15/10/18
No, I don't think that would work in French. You would need to say:
J'aurais pu traduire le titre, mais j'ai décidé de ne pas le traduire. -- I could have translated the title, but I decided not to translate it.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
16/10/18
Hi William,
You have to finish the sentence with 'to do it' or it seems unfinished in French.
I would prefer, however,
"...mais j'ai décidé de ne pas le faire" not to repeat 'traduire' which I was taught to avoid at school...
Hope this helps!
William
Kwiziq community member
16/10/18
I understand!
Thanks Chris and Cécile
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
13/03/17
Bonjour Leah !
This is an excellent question.
The difference here relates to impersonal expressions.
Here's the rule:
- When you have a real subject, like "première erreur" - i.e. to do. - and that the infinitive is used intransitively (without a object), then the structure is:
[subject/adjective] + à + [infinitive]
La première chose à faire...
The first thing to do...
C'est bon à savoir.
That's good to know.
- When you have a *dummy* subject - i.e. it is to do - the structure is:
il est/c'est + [adjective] + de + [infinitive]
Il est difficile de parler. / C'est difficile de parler.
It's hard to talk.
Il est important de faire confiance à ses amis.
It's important to trust one's friends.
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Leah
Kwiziq community member
13/03/17
helen
Kwiziq community member
25/05/18
Leah
Kwiziq community member
25/05/18
Bonsoir Aurelie,
Merci beaucoup!
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
13/06/18
Bonjour Helen !
Here it's not a case of impersonal expressions, but a case of reported (or indirect) speech, hence the use of de :
Je lui demande de venir. -> I ask him to come.
Bonne journée !Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
9/11/16
Susan
Kwiziq community member
9/11/16
Ron
Kwiziq community member
14 March 2019
2 replies
Is there going to be an in depth lesson on the prepositions “de” “a” or no preposition?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
14 March 2019
14/03/19
Some verbs simply use à others use de and some can use both. It is something you have to learn together with the verb.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
14 March 2019
14/03/19
I am working on a list of verbs which are followed by 'à' or 'de' but not sure if that would be useful on its own as very very long....