A register feature, not a mistake
In spontaneous conversation most French speakers usually drop the ne of the negation, educated speakers included. The negation is then carried by pas, rien, jamais, plus or personne alone. If you pronounce every ne among friends, you sound as if you were reading aloud rather than being polite.
One negation, two registers
Written, careful
Ce n'est pas grave.
It doesn't matter.
Il ne faut pas exagérer.
One shouldn't exaggerate.
Spoken, relaxed
C'est pas grave.
No big deal.
Faut pas exagérer.
Let's not get carried away.
The impersonal il goes too.
What else shrinks
Other sounds often disappear along with ne. These forms are written only in chats or in dialogue in novels and comics. When listening, though, you need to recognise them instantly.
Full form and spoken form
| Written | Spoken |
|---|---|
| Je ne sais pas. | J'sais pas. / Chais pas. |
| Il n'y a pas de problème. | Y a pas de problème. |
| Tu n'es pas venu. | T'es pas venu. |
| Personne n'est venu. | Personne est venu. |
| Je n'ai que dix euros. | J'ai que dix euros. |
Where ne stays
The more public and prepared the speech, the more often ne stays: in the news, talks, speeches and job interviews. Many speakers mix both within one conversation. A pronounced ne can also add emphasis.
Je ne signerai pas ce contrat.
I will not sign this contract.
With the full negation, the refusal sounds firm.
Tu dis n'importe quoi.
You're talking nonsense.
In fixed expressions like n'importe quoi, the n' stays even in speech.
