Je n'ai jamais
In French, "i never" is expressed as Je n'ai jamais.
A phrase used to state that one has not done something at any time in the past.
Did you know?
- In a question, jamais can be used to ask if someone has 'ever' done something, making it a synonym for 'at any time' rather than 'not once'.
- To say 'never ever' for extra emphasis, French speakers repeat the word as jamais du jamais.
- In very old French, jamais was used to refer to the future, meaning 'at any time hereafter', rather than a negation of the past.
Examples in context
- Je n'ai jamais parlé.I never spoke.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of Je n'ai jamais with a past action.Tatoeba #843454 by Julien_PDC, translation #7647408 by verymuchso
- Je n'ai jamais su ça.I never knew that.This sentence shows how to use Je n'ai jamais to express lack of knowledge.Tatoeba #1842933 by sacredceltic, translation #1841666 by CK
- Je n'ai jamais parié.I never bet.This sentence demonstrates the use of Je n'ai jamais regarding a past habit or action.Tatoeba #2497423 by sacredceltic, translation #2246030 by CK
- Je ne bois jamais de café.I never drink coffee
- Je ne vais jamais au cinéma.I never go to the movies
- Je ne travaille jamais le weekend.I never work on weekends
- Je ne vais jamais au parc.I never go to the park
- Je ne suis jamais allé(e) en Espagne.I never went to Spain
- Je ne parle jamais en public.I never speak in public
- J'ai jamais vu ce film.I never watched this movie
- Je n'ai jamais voyagé à l'étranger.I never traveled abroad
- 246 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their travel experiences in a cafe.
- GabrielTu as déjà visité le Japon ?Have you ever visited Japan?
- ManonNon, je n'ai jamais été là-bas.No, I have never been there.
- GabrielC'est dommage, c'est un pays magnifique.That's a shame, it is a magnificent country.
- ManonOui, j'aimerais beaucoup y aller un jour.Yes, I would really love to go there one day.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
