Refuser is probably the first word that comes to mind when you want to say "to refuse" in French. But did you know there are many other ways to politely decline, firmly reject, or simply say "no" in different contexts? As you learn French, you'll inevitably encounter situations where knowing a variety of expressions for refusal will make your conversations much smoother and more natural. Let's explore 9 different ways to say "to refuse" in French, adding more nuance and confidence to your vocabulary!

The standard 'to refuse' – refuser

The standard 'to refuse' – refuser

Refuser is the most common and versatile verb in French for expressing 'to refuse' or 'to decline'.

As a regular -er verb, refuser follows standard conjugation patterns, making it relatively straightforward to use once you know the basic endings for each tense.

You can use refuser directly with a noun or pronoun to refuse something specific, much like in English. For instance, refuser une invitation (to refuse an invitation).

When you want to refuse to do something, refuser is followed by the preposition de and then an infinitive verb. Example: Je refuse de partir (I refuse to leave).

Refuser is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Whether you're declining an official request or simply saying no to a friend, this verb fits the bill.

While refuser is direct, the tone often depends on the accompanying words and the context. You can soften a refusal with polite phrases like Je suis désolé(e), mais je dois refuser (I'm sorry, but I have to refuse).

A common expression is refuser catégoriquement, meaning 'to categorically refuse' or 'to flatly refuse', indicating a strong, unequivocal denial.

While refuser is the general go-to, you might encounter décliner, which also means 'to decline', often used in slightly more formal situations, especially for invitations or offers. However, refuser remains the most common choice.

Overall, refuser is a fundamental verb for expressing refusal in French. Its clear structure and broad applicability make it an essential part of your vocabulary.

💡 * Je refuse cette offre. (I refuse this offer.)

Elle a refusé de venir à la fête. (She refused to come to the party.)

Pourquoi as-tu refusé son aide ? (Why did you refuse his help?)

Nous refusons toute forme de discrimination. (We refuse all forms of discrimination.)

Ils ont refusé de signer le contrat. (They refused to sign the contract.)

To decline an offer or invitation – décliner

To decline an offer or invitation – décliner

Décliner is the most direct and formal French verb to express the act of declining an offer, an invitation, or a proposal.

Unlike some other verbs that might imply refusal, décliner specifically conveys a polite, often formal, rejection. It's commonly used in professional settings, official communications, or when you want to maintain a respectful tone.

You'll often encounter it in phrases like décliner une invitation (to decline an invitation), décliner une offre (to decline an offer), or décliner une proposition (to decline a proposal).

As a regular -er verb, its conjugation follows standard patterns, making it relatively straightforward to use once you know the basics.

While you might use phrases like non, merci (no, thank you) or je ne peux pas (I can't) in casual conversation, décliner is the go-to verb for a more complete and formal refusal.

Using décliner demonstrates a certain level of respect and politeness, which is highly valued in French communication, especially when refusing something.

💡 * Je suis désolé(e), mais je dois décliner votre invitation. (I'm sorry, but I must decline your invitation.)

Elle a décliné l'offre d'emploi. (She declined the job offer.)

Nous avons dû décliner leur proposition pour des raisons logistiques. (We had to decline their proposal for logistical reasons.)

Il a décliné poliment l'invitation à dîner. (He politely declined the dinner invitation.)

Malheureusement, je dois décliner cette opportunité. (Unfortunately, I must decline this opportunity.)

To reject an idea or proposal – rejeter

The verb rejeter is a crucial French verb meaning 'to reject' or 'to turn down', especially when referring to ideas, proposals, or suggestions. It's an important term to know for expressing disagreement or refusal in a formal context.

Rejeter is a regular -er verb, but it belongs to a group that undergoes a stem change in some conjugations. Specifically, the 'e' before the 't' changes to 'ette' in most singular forms and the third-person plural of the present tense (e.g., je rejette, tu rejettes, il/elle rejette, ils/elles rejettent), while it remains 'e' in nous rejetons and vous rejetez.

Its most common application is for rejecting concepts, plans, or offers. You'll often hear it in discussions about business, politics, or personal decisions where a proposal is deemed unacceptable. For instance, you would use it when a committee rejects a budget or when someone turns down an invitation.

While primarily used for abstract rejections, rejeter can also have more literal meanings, such as 'to throw back/out' or 'to spit out'. However, its usage for ideas and proposals is by far the most frequent in everyday conversation and formal discourse, making it a key vocabulary item for expressing refusal.

You will typically see rejeter followed by a direct object, such as rejeter une idée (to reject an idea), rejeter une proposition (to reject a proposal), or rejeter un projet (to reject a project/plan). Understanding these common collocations will help you use the verb correctly and naturally.

💡 * Ils ont rejeté notre proposition. (They rejected our proposal.)

Je rejette catégoriquement cette idée. (I categorically reject this idea.)

Le parlement a rejeté le projet de loi. (The parliament rejected the bill.)

Pourquoi rejeter une telle offre? (Why reject such an offer?)

Il a rejeté la faute sur les autres. (He shifted the blame onto others.)

To object or oppose something – s'opposer à

The verb s'opposer à means 'to object to,' 'to oppose,' or 'to stand against' something or someone. It is a fundamental verb for expressing disagreement or resistance in French.

S'opposer à is a reflexive verb, which means it always uses a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that agrees with the subject. The preposition à is crucial and always follows the verb, indicating to what or to whom the opposition is directed.

This verb is conjugated like regular -er verbs, with the reflexive pronoun changing according to the subject. For example, je m'oppose, tu t'opposes, il/elle s'oppose. The object of opposition typically follows the à preposition.

S'opposer à often implies a strong stance or a formal objection. It can be used in various contexts, from personal disagreements to political or social resistance. It emphasizes a deliberate act of standing against something.

💡 * Je m'oppose à cette décision. (I object to this decision.)

Ils s'opposent à la nouvelle loi. (They oppose the new law.)

Pourquoi t'opposes-tu toujours à mes idées? (Why do you always object to my ideas?)

Nous nous sommes opposés à la proposition. (We opposed the proposal.)

Elle s'oppose farouchement à toute forme d'injustice. (She fiercely opposes all forms of injustice.)

The simple 'to say no' – dire non

Dire non is the most straightforward and common way to express refusal or disagreement in French, directly translating to “to say no.”

This phrase is incredibly versatile and can be used in almost any context, from casual conversations to more formal settings.

Its power lies in its simplicity. When you need to clearly state a negative, dire non leaves no room for ambiguity.

While direct, you can easily soften dire non by adding polite words like merci (thank you) or s'il vous plaît (please), such as Non, merci (No, thank you).

It's essential for declining offers, refusing requests, or simply expressing a negative response to a question.

💡 *Tu veux du café ? Non, merci. (Do you want coffee? No, thank you.)
*Il a dit non à la proposition. (He said no to the proposal.)
*Je ne peux pas dire non à ça ! (I can't say no to that!)
*C'est facile de dire non. (It's easy to say no.)
*Elle a décidé de dire non. (She decided to say no.)

Not to accept something – ne pas accepter

To express “not to accept something” in French, the most straightforward approach is to use the verb accepter in its negative form: ne pas accepter.

This phrase directly translates to "not to accept" and is used when you decline an offer, a proposal, a gift, or a situation. It signifies a clear refusal to agree to or tolerate something, often implying a lack of willingness or inability to take it on.

As with most French verbs, the negation is formed by placing ne before the conjugated verb and pas after it. For example, J'accepte (I accept) becomes Je n'accepte pas (I don't accept).

While ne pas accepter is widely applicable, sometimes refuser (to refuse) can be used for a more active or emphatic rejection. Ne pas accepter can also imply an inability or a passive non-reception, whereas refuser often suggests a conscious, deliberate choice to decline.

💡 *Je ne peux pas accepter cette invitation. (I cannot accept this invitation.)
*Il n'accepte pas les critiques. (He doesn't accept criticism.)
*Nous n'acceptons pas ce comportement. (We do not accept this behavior.)
*Elle a décidé de ne pas accepter l'offre d'emploi. (She decided not to accept the job offer.)
*Désolé, je ne peux vraiment pas accepter. (Sorry, I really can't accept.)

To abstain or refrain from doing something – s'abstenir de

The French verb s'abstenir de translates to 'to abstain from' or 'to refrain from doing something.' It's a reflexive verb, meaning it always uses a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se).

It is always followed by the preposition de and then an infinitive verb, indicating the action one is abstaining from. For example, s'abstenir de manger (to abstain from eating) or s'abstenir de voter (to abstain from voting).

This verb is often used in formal contexts, discussions about self-control, health, or political choices. It implies a conscious decision to not perform an action.

💡 * Il doit s'abstenir de manger des sucreries. (He must abstain from eating sweets.)

Je m'abstiens de tout commentaire sur cette affaire. (I'm refraining from any comment on this matter.)

Beaucoup d'électeurs ont décidé de s'abstenir lors des dernières élections. (Many voters decided to abstain in the last elections.)

Nous nous sommes abstenus de critiquer leur décision. (We refrained from criticizing their decision.)

To push back or repel – repousser

The verb repousser is a versatile French verb that primarily means 'to push back' or 'to repel'.

In its most literal sense, repousser refers to physically pushing something or someone away. This can be to create distance, to defend, or simply to move an object.

Beyond the physical, repousser can also mean 'to repel' in a figurative sense, implying a lack of appeal, a rejection, or even pushing back against an idea or a deadline. It can describe something that is unattractive or an action of refusal.

A common and important usage of repousser is 'to postpone' or 'to delay', particularly when talking about appointments, deadlines, or events. This highlights its sense of pushing something further away in time.

💡 * Il a repoussé la chaise pour s'asseoir. (He pushed the chair back to sit down.)

Les soldats ont repoussé l'attaque ennemie. (The soldiers repelled the enemy attack.)

Cette odeur me repousse. (This smell repels me.)

Nous devons repousser la réunion à la semaine prochaine. (We have to postpone the meeting until next week.)

Elle a repoussé toutes ses avances. (She rejected all his advances.)

To turn a deaf ear, refusing to listen – faire la sourde oreille

In French, to express the idea of deliberately ignoring someone or refusing to listen, you use the common idiom faire la sourde oreille.

Literally, faire la sourde oreille translates to “to make the deaf ear.” Figuratively, it means to pretend not to hear, to turn a deaf ear, or to refuse to pay attention to what is being said, often out of stubbornness or defiance.

This expression implies a conscious and intentional act of ignoring. It's often used when someone is being advised, warned, or asked to do something, but they choose to disregard it. The connotation is usually negative, highlighting a lack of cooperation or an unwillingness to confront an issue.

Since faire is a verb, it will be conjugated according to the subject and tense. For example, il fait la sourde oreille (he turns a deaf ear), elle faisait la sourde oreille (she was turning a deaf ear).

💡 *Il fait toujours la sourde oreille quand sa femme lui demande de faire la vaisselle. (He always turns a deaf ear when his wife asks him to do the dishes.)
*Malgré nos avertissements, elle a fait la sourde oreille et a continué. (Despite our warnings, she turned a deaf ear and continued.)
*Le gouvernement fait la sourde oreille aux protestations des citoyens. (The government is turning a deaf ear to the citizens' protests.)
*Tu ne peux pas faire la sourde oreille à ce problème, il faut y faire face. (You can't turn a deaf ear to this problem, you have to face it.)

Are there other ways to say 'to refuse' in French?

Are there other ways to say ‘to refuse’ in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say ‘to refuse’ in French. However, the French language, like any other, offers a spectrum of expressions, from formal to informal, and even regional variations, to convey refusal.

To delve deeper, you can perform an online search for ‘comment dire refuser en ___’ followed by a specific Francophone country or region to uncover local nuances.

When you discover new synonyms for refuser, always make sure to verify their precise definition and observe their usage in various contexts before incorporating them into your vocabulary.

Immerse yourself in French media — read books, watch films, and listen to podcasts. You'll naturally encounter different verbs and phrases used to express refusal, helping you build a richer understanding.

For an in-depth exploration of synonyms and related terms for refuser, the WordReference entry is an excellent starting point, offering a comprehensive overview of its various shades of meaning and usage.

I hope this article has been helpful in navigating the different ways to express refusal in French. Mastering these expressions will undoubtedly enrich your conversations. As the French saying goes, 'Savoir dire non, c'est savoir exister.' (To know how to say no, is to know how to exist.)

9 ways to say "to refuse" in French