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Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document1.

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".


1. My first instinct would be to compare it to the inflected negative auxiliary verbs (e.g. the "don't" contracted form) in English, which I would avoid in formal documents. Unlike the French omission though, the contraction is not considered unformal according to American recommendations (which can be summed up as "write as you talk") and English onesEnglish ones (thanks to mikeyreillymikeyreilly for pointing that out).

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document1.

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".


1. My first instinct would be to compare it to the inflected negative auxiliary verbs (e.g. the "don't" contracted form) in English, which I would avoid in formal documents. Unlike the French omission though, the contraction is not considered unformal according to American recommendations (which can be summed up as "write as you talk") and English ones (thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document1.

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".


1. My first instinct would be to compare it to the inflected negative auxiliary verbs (e.g. the "don't" contracted form) in English, which I would avoid in formal documents. Unlike the French omission though, the contraction is not considered unformal according to American recommendations (which can be summed up as "write as you talk") and English ones (thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

Update the recommendations about contractions in English; move them out of the way for the main answer
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Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document.

My first instinct would be to compare it to the "do not - don't" contraction in English, which I would avoid in formal documents, but unlike French omission, the contraction is not considered unformal (at least according to American recommendations, which can be summed up as "write as you talk"; thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out)1.

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".


1. My first instinct would be to compare it to the inflected negative auxiliary verbs (e.g. the "don't" contracted form) in English, which I would avoid in formal documents. Unlike the French omission though, the contraction is not considered unformal according to American recommendations (which can be summed up as "write as you talk") and English ones (thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document.

My first instinct would be to compare it to the "do not - don't" contraction in English, which I would avoid in formal documents, but unlike French omission, the contraction is not considered unformal (at least according to American recommendations, which can be summed up as "write as you talk"; thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document1.

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".


1. My first instinct would be to compare it to the inflected negative auxiliary verbs (e.g. the "don't" contracted form) in English, which I would avoid in formal documents. Unlike the French omission though, the contraction is not considered unformal according to American recommendations (which can be summed up as "write as you talk") and English ones (thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

Review recommendation about English "don't"
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Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it In ain an official document, never omit them.

My first instinct would be to compare it to the "do not (just as- don't" contraction in English, which I would advise never to write "don't"avoid in a formal documentdocuments, but always "do not"unlike French omission, the contraction is not considered unformal (at least according to American recommendations, which can be summed up as "write as you talk"; thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it In a document, never omit them (just as I would advise never to write "don't" in a formal document but always "do not").

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".

Indeed, "ne" can always be omitted in spoken French ("ne ... que", "ne ... jamais", ...).

If you are trying to speak or write in a formal way however, I would recommend never to omit it in an official document.

My first instinct would be to compare it to the "do not - don't" contraction in English, which I would avoid in formal documents, but unlike French omission, the contraction is not considered unformal (at least according to American recommendations, which can be summed up as "write as you talk"; thanks to mikeyreilly for pointing that out).

When spoken, it is also usual to shorten it, just pronouncing the N (a sort of a contraction). When speaking formally, "Je n'suis pas d'accord." will be better than "Je suis pas d'accord."

Additional note: in literary French, "pas" can be omitted in "ne ... pas". This is very rarely heard in spoken French however, and is specific to "ne ... pas".

Add a note about omitting "pas" in "ne pas"
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