French · Greetings & Essentials
"No" in French: non
non
No in French is non, with a nasal on sound. For a polite refusal, say non merci. Soften further with non, ça va or non, je veux bien rester.
Declining more wine
Non merci, j'ai assez bu.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce non
Say it
nohn
/nɔ̃/
Non is a nasal vowel: nohn, with air through the nose and little or no final n consonant. Keep it short. Do not say "nonn" with a hard English n.
"No" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| non | no The basic refusal or negative answer. | The basic refusal or negative answer. |
| non merci | no thank you Polite way to decline food, drink, or an offer. | Polite way to decline food, drink, or an offer. |
| nan | nope Very informal spelling and sound among friends. | Very informal spelling and sound among friends. |
| pas du tout | not at all Stronger denial after a question or apology. | Stronger denial after a question or apology. |
How to use non in real life
- 1Declining more wine
Non merci, j'ai assez bu.
No thank you, I've had enough.
Non merci is the classic polite decline at the table.
- 2Answering a yes/no question
Non, je ne travaille pas demain.
No, I'm not working tomorrow.
Non often leads the sentence, then the detail.
- 3Soft informal refusal
Non, pas ce soir.
No, not tonight.
A short non plus a reason sounds soft with friends.
Mistakes English speakers make with non
Incorrect: No, merci.
Correct: Non merci.
Use French non. The pair non merci is a fixed polite phrase.
Incorrect: Non. (blunt, to a host offering cake)
Correct: Non merci, c'était délicieux.
A bare non can feel sharp. Add merci or a short reason with hosts.
Good to know
French refusals often include a softener: non merci, c'est gentil. A flat non is fine for clear facts, but with offers of food or help, non merci keeps the tone warm.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
A host offers more dessert in Dijon
ChatPal
Tu veux encore une part de tarte ?
Do you want another slice of tart?
You
Non merci, c'était vraiment bon.
No thank you, it was really good.
ChatPal
Un café, alors ?
A coffee, then?
You
Non, ça va. Juste un peu d'eau.
No, I'm fine. Just a bit of water.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"No" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "No" in French
How do you pronounce non?
As a nasal nohn. Do not punch a hard n at the end the way English no ends.
What does non merci mean?
It means no thank you, the polite way to refuse an offer.
Is nan okay to use?
Only in casual speech with friends. With strangers, prefer non or non merci.
How do I make no sound softer?
Add merci, c'est gentil, or a short reason after non.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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