Ne blesse pas Marie.

Do not hurt Marie.

Breakdown of Ne blesse pas Marie.

• Marie: Marie
• ne ... pas: not
• blesser: to hurt

Questions & Answers about Ne blesse pas Marie.

Why does the sentence use both ne and pas?

In French, negation is constructed using a two-part structure: ne appears before the verb and pas follows it. Together, they signal that the command is to refrain from the stated action.

What is the form and role of blesse in this sentence?

Blesse is the imperative form of the verb blesser (to hurt) in the second person singular. In commands, French omits the subject (implying tu), so blesse instructs someone directly not to perform the act of hurting.

Why is the subject not explicitly mentioned?

In French imperatives, the subject pronoun is typically omitted. The command Ne blesse pas Marie implicitly addresses tu, so there is no need to write the subject.

What function does Marie serve in this sentence?

Marie is the direct object of the verb. She is the person who is not to be hurt, meaning the command is urging the addressee to refrain from causing her harm.

Is this the standard way to form negative commands in French?

Yes, it is. For negative commands, French consistently uses the ne + [verb] + pas format. Although colloquial speech may sometimes drop ne, in standard and written French both parts are required to clearly express the negative command.