Breakdown of Ne t'approche pas de ce chien !
le chien
the dog
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
ce
this (before a noun)
Questions & Answers about Ne t'approche pas de ce chien !
Why is the pronoun t' before the verb? Shouldn't it be approche-toi?
In an affirmative command (telling someone to do something), the pronoun goes after the verb, like approche-toi (come closer). But in a negative command (telling someone not to do something), the pronoun goes back in front of the verb, right between ne and the verb. Because approche starts with a vowel, te drops its "e" and becomes ne t'approche pas.
Why do we need a reflexive pronoun here at all? Can't I just say n'approche pas?
In French, the verb meaning "to go near" or "to approach" is reflexive: s'approcher. Because it's a reflexive verb, you must include the pronoun that matches the person you are talking to. Since you are giving an informal command to one person (using the "tu" form), you need the pronoun te (which becomes t' here).
Why is there a de before ce chien?
Is ce chien masculine or feminine? How would I say "these dogs"?