Daft Doctor Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Hi, a little advice please? Can either of these imperative forms be used for a simple 'don't worry', or should it always be the second form with vous included. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I have always used the latter in the vous version, if that helps.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Yes, second version is best.If you want to say "Don't worry about IT," you can say "Ne vous en inquiétez pas".Ange,a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Or, even simpler, "ne vous en faites pas"?Is that OK, Angela? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Written or spoken?Spoken and it comes in many forms including t'inquiete or t'inquiete pas, even pas de soucis.Other forms mentioned are right, and formal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 You'd always include the 'vous' or 'te'Think about it as the equivalent of 'don't upset yourself' or 'don't distress yourself'. You wouldn't just say 'Don't upset' or 'don't distress' would you - it wouldn't sound finished. Grammatically, these verbs are being used reflexively so you have to include the reflexive pronoun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Agreed...but, as Idun points out, in spoken, day-to day French, the "ne" in most negative statements has become more or less an optional extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 [quote user="You can call me Betty"]Agreed...but, as Idun points out, in spoken, day-to day French, the "ne" in most negative statements has become more or less an optional extra.[/quote]Yes! I hardly bother with the "ne" because the sentence or phrase nearly always flows better without it.I do use it when it's in the imperative because it sounds more .....................er............imperative?[:D]OH would say "imperious" but I don't want to argue about that one................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 As the ez terminaison sounds like the er of the verb infinitive form you risk sounding like un petit negre.N'inquiéter pas! [:D] Or even Inquiéter pas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Doctor Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 Thanks to all, will stick the 'vous' in it and in conversation will try to lazily drop the 'ne' (something which makes sense as we do similar things in English, but in French it doesn't come naturally)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Oddly, I would sayT'inquiète pas!without the 'ne', but if using vous I would sayNe vous inquiétez pas!with the 'ne'/I haven't a clue why. But that's what sounds right to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I think that as 'vous' indicates a certain formality between speakers the 'ne' (which should be there in correct French) is appropriate, whereas in T'inquiète pas! the implied familiarity allows it to be dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Thanks, NormanH. Makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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