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6.1.2 Negation with never - ne ... jamais

We have said that the negation always is a construction of the negative particle ne and an supplement. For clauses stating that something happens never this supplement is jamais. Again this construction encloses the first conjugated verb. The position of the personal pronouns is not influenced by this negation.

Examples   Je ne lis jamais de livres.   I never read books.   Je n' achète jamais de chocolat.     I never buy chocolate.   Je ne parle jamais avec lui.     I never speak with him.   Je n'ai jamais parlé avec lui.     I have never spoken with him.   Tu n' as jamais acheté de parfum.     You have never bought perfume.   Je ne veux jamais boire de vin.     I never want to drink wine.   Je ne le vois jamais.     I never see him.   Tu ne me le dis jamais.     You never tell it to me.   Tu ne me l'as jamais dit.     You have never told it to me.

You might have noticed that there is no article in the negative clauses.

Examples   Je bois du café. du = de le   I drink coffee.     Je ne bois pas de café. de (without the article 'le', because of negation)   I do not drink coffee.     Ils ont eu des ennuis. des = de les   They have been in trouble.     Il n' ont pas eu d' ennuis. d' (without the article 'les', because of negation)   They have not been in trouble.

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