Du/de la/de l'/des all become de/d' in negative sentences (French Partitive Articles)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2024-03-18

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You know how to use partitive articles (du, de la, de l', des) in affirmative sentences by now (see Du/de la/de l'/des = Some/any (French Partitive Articles)). In negative sentences, they change form.

Learn how to form partitive articles in negative sentences in French

Now look at these negative sentences:

Je mange des pommes. - Je ne mange pas de pommes.I eat apples. - I don't eat any apples.

Je bois du lait. - Je ne bois pas de lait.I drink milk. - I don't drink any milk.

J'ai des animaux. - Je n'ai pas d'animaux.I've got (some) animals. -Me, I don't have any animals.

Nous avons bu de la bière. - Nous n'avons pas bu de bière.We drank beer. - We didn't drink any beer.

Vous mangez de la viande ? - Non, nous ne mangeons jamais de viande.Do you eat meat? - No, we never eat meat.

Tu fais encore de la natation ? - Non, je ne fais plus de natation.Do you still go swimming? - No, I don't go swimming anymore.

Partitive articles du, de la, de l' and des all become de or d' (in front of a vowel or mute h) in negative sentences using ne...pas, ne...jamais, ne...plus etc (See also N'avoir plus de = To have none left (French Negations))

ATTENTION:

This rule does NOT apply to sentences using the verb être and other List of French "state verbs" - "verbes d'état", with which the partitive article doesn't change.

C'est du sel de Guérande ? -Non, ce n'est pas du sel de Guérande.Is that Guerande salt? -No, it's not Guerande salt.

C'est de l'huile d'olive ? -Non, ce n'est pas de l'huile d'olive.Is this olive oil? -No, this is not olive oil.

Le plomb devient de l'or. - Non, le plomb ne devient pas de l'or !Lead becomes gold. - No, lead doesn't become gold!

Also see Un/une become de/d' in negative sentences in French (French Indefinite 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.

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