# FR: ne pas + infinitif - place de la négation



## juninho8

Hello,

Can you give me some information when to use "Ne Pas" in front of the infinitive?

il est important ne pas le laisser seul (is this correct?)

I know I could use subjunctive and say "il est important que vous ne le laissiez pas seul" but is the first ok also?

merci

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads merged to create this one. Regarding the placement of the negation with the past infinitive, see this thread.


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## Maître Capello

It is correct if you add a _de_: _Il est important *de* ne pas le laisser seul._

Anyway, "_ne pas_ + infinitif" is the easiest way to negate an infinitive…


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## quexavymz

I found "ne pas" not surrounding a verb, and I was confused.  The sentence was:
       'Vous devriez ne pas la connaître'
Does this mean "Vous ne devriez pas la connaître", "Vous devriez ne la connaître pas", or something completely different?


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## evora

"Vous devriez ne pas la connaître" means something like "It's better not to know her"... maybe because "she" is not a good person (I suppose), so if it happens, "you" will possibly be disappointed!

Hope it helps!

Have a Merry Christmas!!


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## quexavymz

oh, that makes sense, because from the rest of the context she's a prostitute...

thanks, and a Merry Christmas to you, too!


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## evora

By the way,
Vous ne devriez pas la connaître = You probably didn't know her (as I did)
Vous devriez ne pas la connaitre" = It's better not to know her
Vous devriez ne la connaître pas = wrong 

I'm trying to find a good explanation for you to understand the rules and the "non-rules". Let me think...

The Conditional limits the use but the Imperative allows you to build sentences like that:

"Ne la touche pas!" = Don't touch her!
"Ne le dis pas!" = Dont' say/tell it!
"Ne les copiez pas!" = Don't copy them!


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## quexavymz

Is there some significance to it not surrounding the verb, or is it stylistic. Elsewhere in the text it does the same thing in some places, but in others it follows the 'ne' + verb + 'pas' rule?

okay...so, in the imperative and indicative, it surrounds the verb, but in the conditional it depends?


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## bpipoly

quexavymz said:


> okay...so, in the imperative and indicative, it surrounds the verb, but in the conditional it depends?



No, it has to do with whether the negation is for a conjugated verb or an infinitive. 

The standard rule is for the negation of conjugated verbs.

Je ne manage pas les fruits ! 

If the verb being negated is in the infinitive, ne...pas (and most other negative expressions) are placed before the infinitive.

Merci de ne pas fumer !

So in your example, ne pas is modifying connaître (a verb in the infinitive) so ne pas goes before the verb. 

Does that make sense?


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## jann

Hello quexavymz 

To negate an *infinitive*, you put the _ne pas _directly in front.
To negate *anything else*, you put the _ne...pas_ around the conjugated verb.

_Vous devriez ne pas la connaître_  = You are negating the infinitive _connaître --> _not know 
_ Vous ne devriez pas la connaître_ = You are negating the conjugated verb _devriez_ --> should not 

So the first sentence says that it must be the case that you don't know her, while the second sentence says that it must not be the case that you do know her. 

Confusing, isn't it? -- in both languages!


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## egremoq

Est-ce qu'il est correct de dire

J'avoue ne pas avoir tout compris
J'avoue ne pas vous avoir compris

ou

J'avoue n'avoir pas tout compris
J'avoue ne vous avoir pas compris.

Merci.


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## Cyrilisims

Yep, I'd say that both of them sound correct.


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## tilt

All of them are correct, the latter pair sounding more formal.


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## Maître Capello

tilt said:


> All of them are correct, the latter pair sounding more formal.


 According to Grevisse:


> Si le verbe est à l’infinitif passé ou  passif, le second élément se place avant le verbe  auxiliaire dans la langue ordinaire, mais souvent après dans la langue  soignée.


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## mhaber

Hi could someone tell me which version is gramatically correct between
*ne rester pas* or *ne pas rester* in the following sentence:

Ici, comme dans l’introduction on a pu demander aux élèves de former deux phrases eux-mêmes, pour les faire penser et ne rester pas passifs.
or 
Ici, comme dans l’introduction on a pu demander aux élèves de former deux phrases eux-mêmes, pour les faire penser et ne  pas rester passifs.

Thanks a lot!!


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## Missrapunzel

mhaber said:


> Ici, comme dans l’introduction on a pu demander aux élèves de former deux phrases eux-mêmes, pour les faire penser et ne rester pas passifs.
> or
> Ici, comme dans l’introduction on a pu demander aux élèves de former deux phrases eux-mêmes, pour les faire penser et ne pas rester passifs.


_pour les faire réfléchir_ irait mieux que _penser_.


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## GIC

[…]

You should use "ne pas rester" in an infinitive form. For example : 
"Ne pas rester devant la porte" or "Ne pas boire avant de conduire"

and "ne + verbe conjugé + pas" in a conjugated form. For example : 
"Ne restez pas devant la porte" or "Ne restez pas inactifs"

BR


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## myoozik

Hi everyone, I was wondering if there are any situations/sayings where 'ne pas' can be used together? 

merci d'avance!


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## SwissPete

Sure! « Prière de ne pas stationner ici ».

Is that what you had in mind?


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## myoozik

Yes actually, but I'm quite confused about when to phrase it as "ne (verb) pas" and "ne pas (verb)", if you know what i mean


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## LILOIA

ne pas + verbe à l'infinitif  (ne pas + verbe conjugué n'existe pas).


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