The negative infinitive is the infinitive form of a verb with a negative meaning. In French, it uses two negative words placed before the infinitive, rather than around a conjugated verb as in standard negation. It functions as a direct negative instruction or command without being a true imperative form.

Construction

The basic pattern places both negative words directly before the infinitive:

ne pas + infinitive

Examples of this structure:

• Ne pas parler en classe – “Do not speak in class”
• Ne pas oublier les clés – “Do not forget the keys”
• Ne pas arriver en retard – “Do not arrive late”

The infinitive itself does not change form. The negative words ne and pas are inseparable and always appear together before the infinitive.

How the negative infinitive works as instruction

The negative infinitive expresses prohibition or instruction in a direct way, much like an imperative command. However, it avoids the personal nature of a true imperative by using the infinitive form instead. This makes it more impersonal, formal, and suitable for general rules and written instructions.

Compare these versions of the same instruction:

• Ne pas toucher (negative infinitive) – “Do not touch”
• Ne touche pas (imperative, informal singular) – “Do not touch” (addressing one person directly)
• Ne touchez pas (imperative, formal singular) – “Do not touch” (addressing one person formally)

The negative infinitive avoids singling out any particular person. It states a rule or instruction as a general principle. This is why it appears on signs, in warnings, and in formal instructions where the instruction applies to anyone who reads it, not to a specific individual.

Other negative constructions with infinitives

Beyond ne pas, other negative expressions follow the same pattern and function similarly as general instructions:

Ne plus + infinitive (no longer, stop)

• Ne plus fumer – “No longer smoke” or “Stop smoking”
• Ne plus revenir – “Never return again”

Ne jamais + infinitive (never)

• Ne jamais mentir – “Never lie”
• Ne jamais abandonner – “Never give up”

Ne rien + infinitive (nothing)

• Ne rien dire – “Say nothing”
• Ne rien faire – “Do nothing”

Ne personne + infinitive (no one)

This form is less common in modern French but appears in formal or written contexts:

• Ne voir personne – “See no one”

Ne aucun + infinitive (not a single)

• Ne choisir aucune option – “Choose not a single option”

Uses of the negative infinitive

On signs and public notices

The negative infinitive appears on warning signs and public notices as a general instruction to anyone who reads it:

• Ne pas toucher – “Do not touch”
• Ne pas déranger – “Do not disturb”
• Ne pas entrer – “Do not enter”
• Ne pas marcher sur la pelouse – “Do not walk on the grass”

In written instructions and warnings

Instructions, warnings, and rules use the negative infinitive to state a principle that applies generally rather than to a specific person:

• Ne pas laisser à la portée des enfants – “Do not leave within reach of children” (common on medicine bottles)
• Ne pas utiliser après la date d’expiration – “Do not use after the expiration date”
• Ne pas stationner devant la porte – “Do not park in front of the door”
• Ne pas oublier de fermer la porte – “Do not forget to close the door”

After certain verbs

When the negative infinitive follows another verb, it loses its independent status as an instruction and becomes part of a larger sentence. The structure depends on whether the verb takes de before infinitives or not. This is a fixed property of each verb and applies equally to positive and negative infinitives.

Verbs that take de before infinitives

These verbs require de before any infinitive:

Verbs expressing advice or instruction:

• Je te conseille de ne pas y aller – “I advise you not to go there”
• Elle lui recommande de ne pas accepter ce travail – “She recommends that he not accept this job”
• Mon médecin m’a demandé de ne pas manger trop de sel – “My doctor asked me not to eat too much salt”
• Je vous propose de ne pas commencer aujourd’hui – “I suggest that we not start today”

Verbs expressing decision or intention:

• Il a décidé de ne pas accepter l’offre – “He decided not to accept the offer”
• Nous avons choisi de ne pas participer – “We chose not to participate”
• Elle a promis de ne pas révéler le secret – “She promised not to reveal the secret”
• Ils ont préféré de ne pas voyager en hiver – “They preferred not to travel in winter”

Verbs expressing prevention or avoidance:

• J’ai oublié de ne pas parler de cette affaire – “I forgot not to mention this matter”
• Nous avons essayé de ne pas le contrarier – “We tried not to upset him”
• Il a empêché de ne pas arriver en retard – “He prevented arriving late”

Other verbs taking de:

• Tu dois essayer de ne pas te mettre en colère – “You must try not to get angry”
• Elle a autorisé de ne pas assister à la réunion – “She allowed not attending the meeting”
• Ses parents ont permis de ne pas finir ses devoirs aujourd’hui – “Her parents allowed not finishing her homework today”

Verbs that do not take de before infinitives

These verbs go directly to the infinitive without de:

Verbs expressing ability, obligation, or will:

• Pourriez-vous ne pas faire de bruit? – “Could you not make noise?”
• Tu dois ne pas oublier tes clés – “You must not forget your keys”
• Je veux ne pas être dérangé – “I want not to be disturbed”
• Il souhaite ne pas participer au projet – “He wishes not to participate in the project”
• Nous désirons ne pas nous engager maintenant – “We desire not to commit ourselves now”
• Ils préfèrent ne pas voyager en hiver – “They prefer not to travel in winter”
• Je peux ne pas répondre maintenant – “I can not answer right now”

The rule

Each French verb either requires de before infinitives or it does not. This is a fixed property of the verb and applies equally whether the infinitive is positive or negative. You must learn which category each verb belongs to.

In formal requests or proposals

When used with verbs of asking or allowing, the negative infinitive softens a request by avoiding the directness of an imperative:

• Pourriez-vous ne pas faire de bruit? – “Could you not make noise?”
• Je vous demande de ne pas partager ces informations – “I ask you not to share this information”
• M’accorderiez-vous de ne pas attendre la réponse aujourd’hui? – “Would you allow me not to wait for the answer today?”

Negative infinitives with reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs follow the same pattern, with the reflexive pronoun appearing between ne and pas:

Ne pas se + reflexive verb

• Ne pas se lever avant sept heures – “Do not get up before seven o’clock”
• Ne pas s’inquiéter – “Do not worry”
• Ne pas se battre – “Do not fight”

When preceded by another verb:

Verbs taking de:

• Je lui ai conseillé de ne pas se mettre en colère – “I advised him not to get angry”
• Elle a décidé de ne pas se marier avant trente ans – “She decided not to get married before thirty”
• Ils ont promis de ne pas se disputer – “They promised not to argue”

Verbs not taking de:

• Je veux ne pas me déranger – “I want not to be disturbed”
• Tu dois ne pas te lever trop tard – “You must not get up too late”
• Il peut ne pas se présenter – “He can not show up”

Negative infinitives with pronouns

When an object pronoun appears with a negative infinitive, it comes after pas but before the infinitive:

Ne pas + pronoun + infinitive

• Ne pas le déranger – “Do not disturb him”
• Ne pas les oublier – “Do not forget them”
• Ne pas lui dire la vérité – “Do not tell him the truth”

When preceded by another verb:

Verbs taking de:

• Je te prie de ne pas les inviter – “I beg you not to invite them”
• Il a préféré de ne pas lui en parler – “He preferred not to speak to him about it”
• Nous vous conseillons de ne pas les suivre – “We advise you not to follow them”

Verbs not taking de:

• Je veux ne pas le faire – “I want not to do it”
• Tu dois ne pas lui répondre – “You must not answer him”
• Il peut ne pas les accepter – “He can not accept them”

Comparison with positive infinitives

The positive infinitive is simply the infinitive alone:

• Parler à quelqu’un – “Talk to someone” (compared with Ne pas parler à quelqu’un – “Do not talk to someone”)
• Accepter l’invitation – “Accept the invitation” (compared with Ne pas accepter l’invitation – “Do not accept the invitation”)
• Manger trop sucré – “Eat too much sugar” (compared with Ne pas manger trop sucré – “Do not eat too much sugar”)

The presence or absence of de before the infinitive (whether positive or negative) is determined by the verb itself, not by the infinitive form.

Comparison with imperative forms

The true imperative can also express prohibition in the negative form. Unlike the negative infinitive, the imperative addresses a specific person directly:

• Ne parle pas! – “Do not speak!” (imperative, second person singular, informal)
• Ne parlons pas! – “Let us not speak!” (imperative, first person plural)
• Ne parlez pas! – “Do not speak!” (imperative, second person plural, formal or plural)

The negative infinitive is more impersonal and formal. It appears on signs, in written instructions, and in formal speech where the instruction applies to anyone, not to a specific person being addressed.

Alternative expressions

Using pas alone (informal)

In very informal speech, pas can sometimes appear alone:

• Pas toucher! – “Don’t touch!” (rather than the correct Ne pas toucher!)

This is non-standard and found mainly in casual contexts.

Using il ne faut pas

To express prohibition or necessity, il ne faut pas (one must not) is common:

• Il ne faut pas entrer – “One must not enter” or “Do not enter”
• Il ne faut pas oublier – “One must not forget”

This construction conveys obligation and is found in instructions and rules. Like the negative infinitive, it is impersonal and formal.

Summary

The French negative infinitive uses two negative words placed before the infinitive: ne pas, ne plus, ne jamais, ne rien, and others. It functions as a general instruction or prohibition, much like a negative imperative, but in an impersonal way that applies to anyone rather than addressing a specific person. It appears on signs, in written instructions, and in formal rules. When the negative infinitive follows another verb, the structure depends on whether that verb takes de before infinitives, a property that applies equally to positive and negative infinitives. The negative infinitive is more formal than the imperative and is the standard form for written instructions and public notices.