Le professeur dit de ne pas courir.
Can "ne pas courir" be used as the negative imperative "Don't run !"
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)
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.
Ma mère m'a dit de ne pas le faire
My mother told me not to do it
Le professeur dit de ne pas courir.
Can "ne pas courir" be used as the negative imperative "Don't run !"
Hi William,
Yes, this construction can be used for generalised commands such as may be found in a school playground or corridor.
On French trains there used to be, maybe there still is, where windows can be opened, a warning is posted:
"Ne pas se pencher au dehors"
Hope this helps,
Tom
Le professeur dit de ne pas courir.
Can "ne pas courir" be used as the negative imperative "Don't run !"
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Why “Il ne faut pas confondre” as opposed to “Il faut ne pas confondre”?
Hi Michael,
Although there's no overall difference in the meaning of both sentences, Chris is correct in saying that it negates slightly different things.
The important thing is that both are correct and would translate -
You must not mistake...
Both look like good sentences to me, just that each negates a different thing:
Il faut le dire. -- One must say it.
Il ne faut pas le dire. -- One (not must) say it, i.e., one doesn't have to say it.
Il faut ne pas le dire. -- One must (not say) it., i.e., it is mandatory not to say it.
It would be nice if a native speaker commented on that, too, because sometimes French minds seem to work differently. ;)
Why “Il ne faut pas confondre” as opposed to “Il faut ne pas confondre”?
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Hi Chioma,
Normally you will not have a 'de' after espérer and another verb as in to hope to do.
It is archaïc and you will find it mainly in literature...
J'espère ne pas vous avoir fait attendre trop longtemps pour répondre à votre question....
Bonne continuation!
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Some verbs simply use à others use de and some can use both. It is something you have to learn together with the verb.
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....
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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!
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.
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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 !
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.
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