No In French: How To Say It In 20+ Different Ways

One of the first French words that language students learned was “non,” which means “no.” However, there are several ways to respond to the negative in French.

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The French word for “no” is “non”. But what about “no way”, “nope”, or “not at all”? Let’s look at the various ways to say no in French, in different situations. 

No In French: How To Say It In 20+ Different Ways

1. Non, The Typical No In French

The typical way to say “no” in French is “non“. But be aware that “no” in French as in English is quite a powerful word.

If a friend kindly extends an invitation to you, are you going to just answer “no” in English? I don’t think so! You will nuance the “no”. It’s important to do so as well in French.

2. The Polite No

Non merci — No thanks

Non merci means “thanks” or “No, thank you.”

In French, this is more polite than simply saying no. This expression can be used to demonstrate more respect, however, it may be used with anyone in any circumstances.

To make it more formal, add a title after the response, such as “Non merci, mademoiselle.”

3. The Strong No in French

• Absolument pas — Not

“Absolument pas” is used when you need to say “no” more forcefully. It can be used both formally and informally.

• Certainement pas — Certainly not

Another strong way to say no in French is to use this expression. When something is an unequivocal “no.” It can be used in any conversation.

• Jamais — Never

This statement conveys a resounding “no.” In French, this is the strongest way to say no. To put it another way, you’re hoping that nothing bad will ever happen! It is appropriate for both official and informal interactions.

• Jamais au grand jamais — Never

This sentence builds on what you already know about “jamais.”

The phrase directly translates to “never to the great never”. This is a more derogatory phrase than simply saying “jamais.” It’s a phrase you use to express your belief that something will never happen.

4. Agreeing No

Moi non plus — Me neither

This expression means that you agree with someone’s negative statement.

For example, if someone says they don’t want to do something and you agree, you would say “Moi non plus.” It can be used with anyone at anytime.

5. The Disagreeing No 

Je ne suis pas d’accord — I do not agree

This one translates to “I am not of agreement.”

This is a nice expression to utilize if someone says something to you and you don’t agree with them. It has a professional and informal feel about it.

In a less formal setting, French speakers will omit the “ne” and instead say “J’suis pas d’accord.”

Je crois que non — I don’t believe so

It means “I (Je) believe (crois) that (que) no (non.)” It can be used both formally and informally to signify a less confident “no.”

Vous avez tort — You are wrong

The vous-form of “you” is used in formal contexts or when speaking to a group of people.

6. OtherWays to Say No In French

Here are other ways to say No in French that you may want to consider: 

• je crois que non – I don’t think so
• je ne dis pas non – I wouldn’t say no to that
• mais non – of course not
• au contraire – on the contrary (This does not necessarily imply “no,” but it can help reinforce the concept)
• moi non – as for me, no… I don’t
• non plus – not (that) either
• pas tout à fait – not exactly, not quite
• pas vraiment – not really
• que non ! – not!
• pas encore – not yet
• pas maintenant – not now
• plus maintenant – no longer
• Oh, non ! – Oh no!

So, with these expressions, how do you figure out which one to use? It’s ideal to study them in the context of a situation so you can comprehend not just the meaning but also the intent.

Do you want to learn how to say yes in French instead? Here’s our quick guide on how to say yes in French in different situations.

Want to learn more French phrases? Check out our language guides below:

• How To Order In Restaurants In French
• Ways To Say Wow In French
• Please In French : Ways On How To Say It
• 10+ Ways To Say No Problem In French
• Yes In French: How To Say It In 20 Different Ways

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