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uses of non, non pas, or pas
Hi, I don't know quite how to express the question, but one of the things I always find tricky is when, for example, someone writes something like:
ceci est une question de temps, et non pas d'effort.
when is it ok to say "non pas" in constructions like this, and when do you stick to "non" or "pas"?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on
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Basically, you can use either: "non" on its own, "pas" on its own or "non pas" together in this case. The difference is essentially one of register: using "pas" on its own is slightly informal, while using "non" on its own is quite formal/literary. Of the three, "non pas" is probably perceived as being the most "stylistically neutral" by many speakers.
So basically, the pattern is:
- if negating a verb, use "ne...pas" (or "pas" in informal use, "ne" on its own in very literary use or a few isolated circumstances)
- if negating some other element, use "non pas", or just "pas" in informal usage, or "non" in more formal/literary usage
There are a few cases where "non" and/or "pas" where "non pas" isn't used, essentially where they 'stand in for' rather than introducing a negative element. And occasionally only "non" is possible (to stand in for a "whole sentence"). For example:
- Est-ce qu'il est là? Je crois que non.
- Je veux savoir si tu viens ou non/pas. (But not "... ou non pas").
- Prêt ou non/pas, il faut commencer. (But not: "Prêt ou non pas, ...")
But the above will genrally get you started.
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