How do you say "Do not..." in French?

"Do not..." in French is "Ne... pas.". This phrase is commonly used in France.

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How to Say ‘Do not...’ in French

Q: What does "Ne... pas." mean in English?

"Ne... pas." means "Do not..." in English. Usage tip: French often puts [ne ... pas] around the verb to make it negative, as in [Ne vous inquiétez pas]. In everyday speech the [ne] is often dropped, but you will still hear the full version in calm, careful speech.

Ne... pas.

nuh pah

[nuh pah]

💬 Usage Tip: French often puts [ne ... pas] around the verb to make it negative, as in [Ne vous inquiétez pas]. In everyday speech the [ne] is often dropped, but you will still hear the full version in calm, careful speech.

Phrase Breakdown

[nuh]

not

First part of the standard French negation placed before the verb.

Example

Ne... pas est utilisé dans « ne bougez pas » chez le vétérinaire.

Ne... pas is used in “do not move” at the vet’s office.

pas

[pah]

not

Second part of the standard French negation, placed after the verb.

Example

Dans Ne... pas, pas complète la négation de la phrase.

In Ne... pas, pas completes the negation of the sentence.

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