Français — Negation of the infinitive

When you negate an infinitive, both parts of the negation stay together and come before the verb: je te demande de ne pas partir.

How it works

✓ Rule

Unlike with a conjugated verb, the two negative words are not split around the infinitive: both ne and pas / jamais / plus stand together before it — ne pas fumer, ne jamais mentir, ne plus attendre. With a compound infinitive they precede the auxiliary: ne pas avoir compris.

Examples

Negation before the infinitive
Sentence	Meaning
Je te demande de ne pas partir.	I'm asking you not to leave.
Il préfère ne rien dire.	He prefers to say nothing.
Elle a décidé de ne jamais mentir.	She decided never to lie.
Nous espérons ne plus attendre.	We hope not to wait any longer.
Merci de ne pas fumer ici.	Please do not smoke here.
Il regrette de ne pas avoir compris.	He regrets not having understood.

Good to know

⚠ Note

Exceptions: ne personne and ne aucun still frame the infinitive (ne voir personne, ne connaître aucune règle), and object pronouns go after the two negative words, right before the infinitive: promettre de ne pas le dire.