You've already seen how to use indefinite articles un or une to express a/an (see Using un, une to say "a" (indefinite articles))
Now look at these negative sentences:
Il a une voiture. - Non, il n'a pas de voiture!
He has a car. - No he doesn't have a car!
Tu as un animal familier? - Non je n'ai pas d'animal familier.
Do you have a pet? - No, I don't have a pet.
J'ai un frère mais je n'ai pas de soeur!
I have a brother, but I don't have a sister.
Indefinite articles un and une become de or d' (in front of a vowel or mute h) after a negative expression (ne...pas / ne...jamais / ne...plus ... etc.) in order to express no / any.
ATTENTION:
This rule does NOT apply to sentences using the verb être and other Verbes d'état, with which the indefinite article doesn't change:
Je ne suis pas une menteuse !
I'm not a liar!
Mon chien n'est pas un labrador.
My dog is not a Labrador.
Il reste un ami loyal. - Non, il ne reste pas un ami loyal !
He remains a loyal friend. - No, he doesn't remain a loyal friend!
EXCEPTION:
When you want to emphasise the meaning of ONE (un/une) - not just a/an - as in He doesn't have ONE car, but TWO, you will keep un/une in the negative sentence - but here it doesn't mean no/any:
Also see Du, de la, de l', des all become de or d' in negative sentences (partitive articles)
Note that definite articles (le, la, l', les) don't change in negative sentences:
J'aime le chocolat. -> Je n'aime pas le chocolat.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je ne suis pas une menteuse !
I'm not a liar!
Mon chien n'est pas un labrador.
My dog is not a Labrador.
Elle est devenue une excellente danseuse. - Non, elle n'est pas devenue une excellente danseuse !
She became a great dancer. - No, she didn't become a great dancer!
J'ai un frère mais je n'ai pas de soeur!
I have a brother, but I don't have a sister.
Il reste un ami loyal. - Non, il ne reste pas un ami loyal !
He remains a loyal friend. - No, he doesn't remain a loyal friend!
Tu as un animal familier? - Non je n'ai pas d'animal familier.
Do you have a pet? - No, I don't have a pet.
Ils n'ont pas une maison, mais deux !
They don't have ONE house, but TWO!
Il a une voiture. - Non, il n'a pas de voiture!
He has a car. - No he doesn't have a car!
Q&A
Max
Kwiziq community member
18 June 2017
1 reply
English grammr? Better written as "He has a brother, he doesn't have a sister."
I think the translation would be better as "He has a sister, he doesn't have a brother."
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
19/06/17
I absolutely agree with you, and thanks to you, this question has now been fixed !
Merci beaucoup et à bientôt !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
26/10/16
No, just like with partitive articles, this rule doesn't apply to complements following the verb "être".
Thanks to you, I've now added a note to the lesson :)
Merci et à bientôt !
Melvin
Kwiziq community member
26/10/16
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
3/05/16
Bonjour Diane,
If you wanted to emphasise the number of cars he has, you could indeed say:
"Il n'a pas une voiture. Il en a deux.",
and even more colloquially, you could say:
"Il n'a pas une voiture, mais deux !"
Thank you for pointing out that case, we added this distinction to the existing lesson:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/revision/grammar/un-and-une-become-de-or-d-in-negative-sentences-indefinite-article
Merci et à bientôt !
ly fen
Kwiziq community member
13/05/16
Peut-on dire : "Il n'a pas seulement une voiture, mais deux."
Merci d'avance.
Shanti
Kwiziq community member
13/05/16
Shanti
Kwiziq community member
13/05/16
Il n'a qu'une voiture, mais deux
William
Kwiziq community member
6 February 2018
1 reply
Verbs other than être
Your exercise mentions that être does not use this construction with negative statements. Are there any other verbs that don't use it?
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
14 April 2018
14/04/18