Vocafy - Efficiënt talen leren Vocafy - Efficiënt talen leren
Grammatica
Questions and negation A1 A2

Negation with not, no, never, and do

Form negatives with do-support, be, perfect and future auxiliaries, modal + not, no, and never.

We vertalen de uitleg...
Voorlopig zie je de originele Engelse les.
Visuele uitleg

The negative switch

NEGATIVE = choose ONE switch

1) verb idea → NOT

   helper/special verb already there
   (am/is/are, have finished, will, can)
        helper + not
        I am not ready.

   ordinary verb, no helper
        do/does/did + not + plain verb
        I do not know.

2) zero amount → NO + noun
        I have no money.

3) zero times → NEVER
        I never drink coffee.

not / no / never = one negative job
(no double negative)

Put not after a helper; if there is no helper, add do/does/did. Use no for zero amount and never for zero times.

Introduction

The main negative words

English negatives usually answer one question: where does the negative word go? Not normally attaches to a verb or helper, while no usually sits before a noun. Never means not ever. Start with the verb type. With be, put not after be: I am not ready. With an ordinary verb, add do: I do not know. With a noun idea meaning zero, use no: There is no milk. These choices make most everyday negative sentences clear and natural.
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I am not ready.

With be, put not after be. Do not add do.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The person the sentence is about.
am not ready
negative_be_phrase
Be carries not before an adjective.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

There is no milk.

No comes before a noun when the meaning is zero or none.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

There is
existence_phrase
Introduces that something exists or is present.
no milk
no_noun_phrase
No before a noun means zero or none.
Leer als één geheel
Cognitive metaphor

The negative switch

Think of not as a negative switch. In English, the switch goes on the first verb that can carry it. Be can carry it. Helpers like have, will, and can can carry it. Ordinary verbs usually cannot, so English adds do, does, or did to carry not. Compare these frames: We have not finished. He will not come. You cannot park here. The meaning is negative, but the main verb after the helper stays simple: finished, come, park. This is why the helper is so important in English negatives.
Negative Grammatica A2 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

We have not finished.

Perfect forms use have or has plus not, not do.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

We
subject
The people the sentence is about.
have not finished
perfect_negative
In the perfect, have carries not before the past participle.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

He will not come.

Use will not before the base verb for a future negative.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

He
subject
The person the sentence is about.
will not come
future_negative
In future meaning with will, will carries not.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

You cannot park here.

With can, use cannot or can't; do not add do.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

You
subject
The person being addressed.
cannot park
modal_negative
A modal carries not before the base verb. Cannot is written as one word.
Leer als één geheel
here
place
Shows the place.
Core pattern

Ordinary verbs need do-support

Use do-support with ordinary verbs in the present and past: subject + do or does or did + not + base verb. In speech, do not is often don't, does not is doesn't, and did not is didn't. The main verb after do-support stays in the base form: I do not know; She doesn't like fish; They didn't call. For a negative question, put don't, doesn't, or didn't before the subject: Didn't they call? A common error is adding past or -s twice. Say They didn't call, not They didn't called.
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I do not know.

Know is an ordinary verb here, so the negative uses do not.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
do not know
do_support_negative
Ordinary present verbs need do not before the base verb.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She doesn't like fish.

After doesn't, the main verb stays in the base form: like, not likes.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
The person the sentence is about.
doesn't like
does_not_base_verb
For he, she, or it, use does not or doesn't plus the base verb.
Leer als één geheel
fish
object
The thing she does not like.
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

They didn't call.

Did carries the past meaning, so call stays in the base form.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

They
subject
The people the sentence is about.
didn't call
did_not_base_verb
For past negatives with ordinary verbs, use did not or didn't plus the base verb.
Leer als één geheel
Question Grammatica A2 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

Didn't they call?

In a negative question with did, didn't comes before the subject.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

Didn't they call
negative_question_start
Negative question form with didn't before the subject and the base verb after it.
Leer als één geheel
Form variations

Be, helpers, future, and modals

Do not add do when the sentence already has be, have as a perfect helper, will, or a modal such as can, must, or should. Put not after that verb or use a contraction. Be gives am not, isn't, aren't. Perfect forms give haven't or hasn't. Future will not often becomes won't: I won't be late. Modals take not directly: She can't swim. The full form cannot is written as one word in most uses. The error She doesn't can swim happens because do-support is added even though can is already the helper.
Spoken Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I won't be late.

Won't is the normal spoken and written contraction for will not.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
won't be late
contracted_future_negative
Won't is the common contraction of will not.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She can't swim.

A modal negative does not use do-support.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
The person the sentence is about.
can't swim
contracted_modal_negative
Can't is can plus not before the base verb.
Leer als één geheel
Mistake Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She doesn't can swim.

This mixes do-support with a modal. Standard English uses can't or cannot, not doesn't can.

Contrast

Not or no?

The closest common confusion is not versus no. Use not to make a verb, adjective, or whole clause negative: I'm not hungry. Use no before a noun when the meaning is zero or none: I have no money. A very common alternative is do-support with any: I don't have any money. Both money sentences are natural, but the grammar is different. No can also be a short answer: No, thanks. Do not use no as the normal negative word before an adjective or ordinary verb; use not or do not instead.
Corrected Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I'm not hungry.

Use not with adjectives after be; no does not replace not here.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I'm
subject
I am in contracted form.
not hungry
negative_adjective_phrase
Use not before an adjective after be.
Leer als één geheel
Contrast Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I have no money.

No can directly modify a noun: no money.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I have
subject_verb
Shows possession.
no money
no_noun_phrase
No before a noun means none.
Leer als één geheel
Contrast Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I don't have any money.

This means almost the same as I have no money, but it uses do-support with the verb have.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
don't have any money
do_support_possession_negative
An ordinary verb can take do not plus any in a negative sentence.
Leer als één geheel
Spoken Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

No, thanks.

No can also stand alone as a short answer.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

No, thanks
short_answer
A polite negative answer to an offer.
Leer als één geheel
Danger zone

Never and double negatives

Never means not ever. It can describe habits, facts, past events, or life experience: I never drink coffee. In the present perfect, never goes after have or has and before the past participle: I have never been to Canada. Because never is already negative, standard English does not usually add another negative word for the same idea. Say I never go there, not I don't never go there. If you want to use do-support, use ever instead: I don't ever go there.
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I never drink coffee.

Never makes the verb idea negative by itself.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
never drink coffee
never_habit
Never before a main verb means not ever as a habit or fact.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A2 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I have never been to Canada.

Use have never been for life experience up to now.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
have never been
perfect_never
In the perfect, never goes after have and before the past participle.
Leer als één geheel
to Canada
place
The place connected to the experience.
Mistake Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Informal

I don't never go there.

Standard English usually avoids two negatives for one negative meaning.

Corrected Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I never go there.

Use never without don't when never gives the negative meaning.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The speaker.
never go there
never_habit
Never alone gives the negative meaning: not ever.
Leer als één geheel
Summary

Choose the negative job

Some negatives look similar but do not mean the same thing. Not everyone agrees means some people agree and some do not. No one agreed means zero people agreed. This contrast is useful because not can limit only part of a sentence, while no can make a whole noun idea empty. Before speaking, choose the job: use not with be, helpers, adjectives, and clauses; use do not with ordinary verbs; use no before nouns for zero; use never for not ever. This gives you the main A1-A2 negative system.
We gebruiken geen advertentiecookies van derden of trackingpixels die je over sites heen volgen.
We gebruiken cookies en vergelijkbare technologieën om onze app soepel te laten werken, prestaties te analyseren en je ervaring te verbeteren.
Je kunt je voorkeuren op elk moment beheren.

Welkom terug!

Log in om door te gaan

Wachtwoord vergeten?
Nog geen account? Registreren