Literary non Before the Verb

Level 6

Written and formal Occitan can put non before the verb.

How It Works

Everyday	Literary
Ven pas jamai.	Jamai non ven.
Sap pas res.	Res non sap.
Sabi pas.	Non sabi.

The literary form can open with the negative word: Degun non sap la responsa. (Nobody knows the answer.) As the last row shows, it can also stand alone before the verb: Non sabi. (I do not know.)

These sentences do not need pas: Jamai non ven already says never. The same non can come back after ni: ni non beu (nor drinks).

You will meet this form in stories, poems and careful writing. In your own sentences, pas after the verb is always enough.

Examples (5)

Jamai non ven.
He never comes.
Non goes before the verb after jamai.
Degun non sap la responsa.
Nobody knows the answer.
Degun non sap: the negative word and non.
Res non manca.
Nothing is missing.
Res non opens the sentence.
Non sabi.
I do not know.
Non alone before the verb.
Dins aquel ostal, degun non beu de vin.
In that house, nobody drinks wine.
The sentence starts with a place and a negative word.

Common Mistakes

Using the French ne for the literary negative
Jamai ne ven.
Jamai non ven.
Ne is French. The Occitan word is non.

How It Connects

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Literary non Before the VerbLevel 6

Learn This First

Non before the verb is a formal alternative to pas, so res and degun and jamai come first.

Words in This Pattern

nonjamaidegunres

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