You know how to use partitive articles (du, de la, de l', des) in affirmative sentences by now (see Using du, de la, de l', des to express some or any (partitive articles)).
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 (negation))
ATTENTION:
This rule does NOT apply to sentences using the verb être and other 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 or d' in negative sentences (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.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Nous avons bu de la bière. - Nous n'avons pas bu de bière.
We drank beer. - We didn't drink any beer.
Tu as de la colle ? - Non je n'ai plus de colle.
Have you got glue? - No, I haven't any glue left.
Je bois du lait. - Je ne bois pas de lait.
I drink milk. - I don't drink any milk.
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.
Je mange des pommes. - Je ne mange pas de pommes.
I eat apples. - I don't eat any apples.
Le plomb devient de l'or. - Non, le plomb ne devient pas de l'or !
Lead becomes gold. - No, lead doesn't become gold!
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.
Vous mangez de la viande ? - Non, nous ne mangeons jamais de viande.
Do you eat meat? - No, we never eat meat.
J'ai des animaux. - Je n'ai pas d'animaux.
I've got (some) animals. -Me, I don't have any animals.
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.
Q&A
helen
Kwiziq community member
20/02/18
I'm thinking that "de" follows pas before nouns( except when using etre.) So would this sentence be correct:
"Ils n'ont pas d'habitude de parler francais." Or should it be "ils n'ont pas de l'habitude de parler francais"? I actually had a French speaker tell me there is no "de" and it's "Ils n'ont pas l'habitude de parler francais. Help!:)
Chris
Kwiziq community member
21/02/18
Hi Helen,
"Ils n'ont pas l'habitude de parler français" -- They are not in the habit of speaking French.
You don't use "de" in this case because that would signifiy that what comes after is part of a bigger thing (e.g. "un morceau du gâteau" -- a piece of the cake). Since there isn't something like a "bigger piece of habit" you don't use the preposition "de".
Hope that helps, -- Chris (not a native speaker).
helen
Kwiziq community member
21/02/18
Chris
Kwiziq community member
21/02/18
Yes, definitely. According to this pattern:
"Tu as du lait?" - "Non, je n'ai plus de lait." -- "Do you have some milk?" - No, I have no more milk."
-- Chris.
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
3/08/17
Paul
Kwiziq community member
3/08/17
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
3/08/17
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/conjugate-etre-in-le-present-present-tense
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/conjugate-irregular-avoir-in-le-present-the-present-tense
There are add buttons on the lessons, and then you can go to your notebook (the bookmark icon in the top right) and practise them from there.
Just keep kwizzing until you feel you've mastered them.
Hope that helps.
Ron
Kwiziq community member
24/06/17
This is the lesson statement that most aptly fits your question:
ATTENTION: This rule does NOT apply to sentences using the verb être, 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.
J'espère que cela vous aidera.
Ron
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
11/04/17
This was a mistake, thanks you so much for letting us know!
The English has now been edited accordingly :)
Merci et à bientôt !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/02/17
This case is actually quite different, as the affirmative sentence would be "Elle a les yeux bleus", so the negative equivalent would still be "Elle n'a pas *les* yeux bleus".
Look at our related lesson:
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/using-le-la-les-with-body-parts-and-clothing-definite-articles
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Bruce
Kwiziq community member
10/02/17
Merci bien pour votre réponse.
I had reviewed the lesson you mention. I suppose it could be inferred that a definite article should be used for one's own body parts in the negative but it didn't specifically address it. It was my understanding that a definite article should be used, even in the negative, but my teacher says that this is wrong. Can you provide a reference that I can use to show my teacher? L'Académie française, peut-être?
Merci.
Bruce
Maddie
Kwiziq community member
10 May 2018
1 reply
D'animaux vs DES animaux
Why is it "Elle n'aime pas d'animaux" rather than "Elle n'aime pas DES animaux"? I didn't think that it mattered if the noun started with a vowel when it was plural; it would alway become "des" and the 's' would be pronounced in front of the vowel sound.
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
11 May 2018
11/05/18
Bonjour Maddie !
In this case - negative sentences - the des becomes de.
J'ai des pommes. -> Je n'ai pas de pommes.
And de will become d' in front of a vowel or mute "h", for pronunciation reasons.
J'ai des animaux. -> Je n'ai pas d'animaux.
I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !