Essential French Grammar (2012)
Word Order
Normal word order
Word order in French is frequently the same as in English. Since many words in French are obviously related in appearance and derivation to English words, it is often easy to understand a French sentence even if you know only a minimum of grammar. Compare the following French sentences and their English translations:
Mon cousin et sa fiancée arrivent à six heures.
My cousin and his fiancee arrive at six o‘clock.
La premiére leçon est très importante.
The first lesson is very important.
Negative Word Order1
To make a sentence negative, place ne before the verb and pas after it. (The ne becomes n’ before a vowel or a silent h.)
Je ne parle pas très bien.
I do not speak very well.
Cette ville n’est pas très grande.
This city is not very large.