Jamais (en. Never)

/ʒa.mɛ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

adverb

Indicates a total or definitive absence.

I have never seen him.

Je ne l'ai jamais vu.

Used in negation to reinforce an expression.

He never comes back here.

Il ne revient jamais ici.

Means 'not yet' in certain contexts.

I never finished my homework.

Je n'ai jamais terminé mes devoirs.

From Latin 'jam', meaning 'already', and 'maius', a form meaning 'more'.

never in life

Expression used to signify that one will never do something.

jamais de la vie

I never said that

To defend a position or correct a statement in a discussion.

je n'ai jamais dit ça

there has never been

To say that there has been no occurrence or event.

il n'y a jamais eu

always

Indicates continuity over time, in contrast to 'jamais'.

toujours

sometimes

Indicates an occurrence that happens from time to time, unlike total absence.

parfois

rarely

Expresses a low frequency, contrasting with 'jamais'.

rarement

Never, let's see

Never, let's see, I would never do that.

Jamais voyons, je ne ferais jamais ça.

Never or ever

We never go there, it's too risky.

On y va jamais, c'est trop risqué.