Learn French: Je n'oublie pas mon passeport quand je pars. - I do not forget my passport when I leave.

Je n'oublie pas mon passeport quand je pars.

I do not forget my passport when I leave.

Breakdown of Je n'oublie pas mon passeport quand je pars.

not (used before the verb)

pas

not (used after the verb)

le passeport

the passport

Questions & Answers about Je n'oublie pas mon passeport quand je pars.

Why does the verb partir become pars here?

Pars is the je (I) form of the irregular verb partir (to leave). For this family of irregular -ir verbs (which includes sortir and dormir), you drop the final consonant of the root in the singular forms. So, partir drops its t to become je pars and tu pars, but keeps it for il/elle part.

Could I use sors instead of pars to say "when I leave"?

Not quite! While both can mean "to leave," they are used differently. Partir means to depart or set off on a trip, which makes perfect sense when packing a passport. Sortir, on the other hand, means to physically exit a room or building, or to "go out" socially.

Why is there an apostrophe in n'oublie?

The "not" in this sentence is made of the two negative words ne and pas. Because the verb oublie starts with a vowel, the e in ne is dropped so the words flow together easily. This turns ne oublie into n'oublie.

Why do we use mon before passeport?