"Il est possible de ne pas jouer de carte."

[solipsist180]

Grammar question/point: the infinitive verb construciton "ne pas jouer" (to not play), why is the infinitive verb not between ne and pas? I can understand is this is just something to learn, I'm just seeing it at odds with conjugated verbs and negation. Thanks for any indight :)

[Sitesurf]

Yes, you are right, this is the infinitive form which changes the order of words.
It works also with "ne jamais" and "ne plus".

but not with "ne que": "il est possible de ne jouer qu'une carte".

[deactivated user]

Ah, que is an exception! Merci

[lpacker]

Why isn't it "il est possible de ne pas jouer une carte" ?

[AlisonLuby]

Maybe because it's negative and you usually use "de" as the article with a negative construction.

[maggimunro]

I have the same question as Icepacker. Any answers out there from you amazing linguists?

[Sitesurf]

with negative expressions, the article is dropped after "de":

"...pas jouer de carte, ...plus jouer de carte, ...jamais jouer de carte"

[maggimunro]

Of course! Thank you yet again.

[d_daigle]

and how would you say "the card" instead of "a card"?

[Sitesurf]

... de ne pas jouer la carte

[Seattle_scott]

Is it wrong to say "il est possible de ne pas jouer de cartes"?

[Sitesurf]

It might be a bit ambiguous depending on the game. "Pas de carte" should mean that otherwise, you would play one.

[yQ3q]

On that basis, I'd say "il est possible de ne pas jouer de cartes" ought to be accepted for the listening exercise (but isn't currently).

[Harmander01]

How exactly do you play with "a card"

[GeoffPenn]

"Playing a card" is different from "playing with a card."

[AshokKanet]

Sitesurf, In another context you had explained how the negative pair "ne..pas" comes together without an intervening verb.

would you be so kind as to explain it again?

[Sitesurf]

The negative pairs (ne... pas/plus/rien/jamais/personne/aucun) are placed around the conjugated verb.

If the negated verb is in the infinitive, then "ne" and "pas" are grouped together in front of it.

• Il ne joue pas.
• Il n'a pas joué.
• Il est possible de ne pas jouer.