French Phrase
Non, je prends le métro.
Meaning
A short, firm refusal that the speaker uses to say they travel by metro rather than another option. It can answer a suggestion like “Do you want to take a bus?” or “Will you drive?”.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to decline an invitation or a proposal about transportation and state that you will be using the metro instead. It works in casual conversation, travel‑planning, or everyday city life.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Nonjeprendslemétro
Non
A simple negation word meaning “no”. It is placed before the rest of the sentence.
je
First‑person singular subject pronoun. Always required before a verb.
prends
Present‑tense form of the verb *prendre* (to take) for “je”. Note the irregular stem *prend‑*.
le
Definite article for masculine singular nouns. Here it introduces the noun *métro*.
métro
Masculine noun meaning “subway/metro”. In French the phrase *prendre le métro* is the idiomatic way to say “to take the metro”.
🗨In Conversation
Tu veux qu’on prenne le bus pour aller au musée ?
Do you want us to take the bus to the museum?
Non, je prends le métro.
No, I take the metro.
✕Common Mistakes
Non, je suis le métro.
The verb *être* (suis) is not used with *métro*; you must use *prendre*.
Non, je prends le metro.
The accent on the ‘é’ is required; otherwise the word is misspelled.
Non, je prends le métro ?
Adding a question mark changes the meaning to a question; keep the period for a firm refusal.
↔Alternatives
Non, je vais en métro.
No, I go by metro.
Non, je prends le métro plutôt.
No, I’ll take the metro instead.
Non, je préfère le métro.
No, I prefer the metro.
Cultural Tip
In French cities, especially Paris, the metro is the fastest way to move around. The verb *prendre* is the standard collocation for any means of transport (prendre le train, prendre le bus, prendre le métro). Avoid using *aller* with the metro unless you add *en* (e.g., *aller en métro*). Also, remember that the metro runs on a strict schedule, so punctuality is valued when you say you’ll be taking it.