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🇫🇷 French · Fluency Level 1

PART 2 · LESSON 16 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Dropping the Ne

Hear how the French really say no, with the ne gone and the words squeezed together, and learn when to put it back.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

Emma's own classroom, a lesson for her advanced students, and Hugo as the example.

Flashcards

The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.

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Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
Hugo, dis-moi que tu ne sais pas où sont mes clés.ew-goh, dee mwah kuh tew nuh seh pah oo soh(n) may KLAYHugo, tell me you don't know where my keys are. To a friend.
J'sais pas.shay PAHDunno. In spoken French.
Vous avez entendu ? Pas « je ne sais pas ». « J'sais pas ». Le ne a disparu.voo zah-vay zah(n)-tah(n)-dew, pah zhuh nuh seh pah, shay pah, luh nuh ah dees-pah-REWDid you hear? Not "je ne sais pas". "J'sais pas". The ne has gone. Politely.
Y a personne qui dit « je ne sais pas ». À part toi.yah pehr-son kee dee zhuh nuh seh pah, ah par TWAHNobody says "je ne sais pas". Apart from you. To a friend, in spoken French.
À part toi.ah par TWAHApart from you. To a friend.
Et « il n'y a personne » devient « y a personne ». T'as vu ?ay eel nyah pehr-son duh-vya(n) yah pehr-son, tah VEWAnd "il n'y a personne" becomes "y a personne". See? To a friend, in spoken French.
Faut pas exagérer non plus. Devant Madame Faure, je dis « il ne faut pas ».foh pah zehg-zah-zhay-ray noh(n) plew, duh-vah(n) mah-dahm fohr, zhuh dee eel nuh foh PAHMustn't overdo it either. In front of Madame Faure, I say "il ne faut pas". In spoken French.
Il ne faut pas exagérer.eel nuh foh pah zehg-zah-zhay-RAYMustn't overdo it. In written French.
Donc, entre amis, le ne disparaît. À l'écrit, et devant Madame Faure, il revient.doh(n)k, ah(n)tr ah-mee, luh nuh dees-pah-reh, ah lay-kree, ay duh-vah(n) mah-dahm fohr, eel ruh-VYA(N)So, between friends, the ne disappears. In writing, and in front of Madame Faure, it comes back.
Et mes clés ?ay may KLAYAnd my keys?