WordGarden.iopas
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈæs/
US
- /ˈpɑz/
Meanings
Noun
a dance step or set movement, especially in ballet
Beyond the definition
"Pas" is a small but very important French word. Most often, it means "not" and helps make a sentence negative. You will usually see it with a verb, as in "Je ne comprends pas" ("I don't understand"). It also appears in common phrases like "Pas de problème !" ("No problem!") and "pas maintenant" ("not now"). In another use, pas can also mean "step" or "pace," but for most learners, its negative meaning is the one you will meet again and again.
"Pas" is a core French word with two main uses. First, and most importantly, it is the usual marker of negation, often translated as "not." In standard French, it commonly appears with ne around the verb: "Je ne parle pas français" ("I do not speak French"). In everyday spoken French, people often drop ne and simply say "Je parle pas français." That makes pas one of the words you will hear very often in real conversation.
Beyond full sentences, pas also shows up in many short everyday expressions:
- Pas de problème! (No problem!)
- Pas encore. (Not yet.)
- Pas grave! (It's okay/No big deal!)
- Pas du tout! (Not at all!)
Second, pas can be a noun meaning "step" or "pace." This sense appears in borrowed expressions that English speakers may already know, such as "pas de deux" in ballet and "faux pas," which literally means a "false step" and came to mean a social mistake. So while the negative use is by far the most common one for learners, the idea of a literal step is still an important part of the word's story.
Examples
- 1
Dance step
The dancers practiced the same pas again and again until it felt smooth.
- 2
Ballet duet
Their pas de deux was the most beautiful part of the ballet.
- Domainpas de deux
a dance for two people, especially in ballet
- 3
Social mistake
I made a faux pas by asking about a topic everyone else was avoiding.
- Phrasefaux pas
a social mistake
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- pasnoun