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

Translation:It is possible not to play a card.

February 11, 2013

17 Comments
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https://www.duolingo.com/profile/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 :)


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/lpacker

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/shmalicat

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/maggimunro

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Sitesurf

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

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/maggimunro

    Of course! Thank you yet again.


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/d_daigle

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Sitesurf

    ... de ne pas jouer la carte


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Seattle_Scott

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Sitesurf

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/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).


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Harman01

    How exactly do you play with "a card"


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/GeoffPenn

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


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/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?


    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/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 jouĂ©.
    • Il est possible de ne pas jouer.
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