In French, adverbs (adverbes) are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to provide more information about how, when, where, or to what extent something happens.
Formation:
Many adverbs are formed by adding -ment to the feminine form of an adjective:
- rapide (quick) → rapidement (quickly)
- heureux (happy) → heureusement (fortunately)
If the adjective ends in a vowel, just add -ment:
- vrai (true) → vraiment (really)
Position:
- Adverbs that modify verbs usually come after the verb: Il parle doucement (He speaks softly).
- Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs come before the word they modify: C’est très intéressant (It’s very interesting).
Common types:
- Manner: comment? (how?) → doucement (softly), bien (well)
- Time: quand? (when?) → maintenant (now), souvent (often)
- Place: où? (where?) → ici (here), partout (everywhere)
- Degree: combien? (to what extent?) → très (very), trop (too)
Understanding adverbs and their placement helps greatly in French fluency and expression.
A2
B1
Table of Contents
- Frequency Adverbs
Frequency adverbs in French, including their meanings, rules for placement, and usage within sentences.
- Manner Adverbs
Manner Adverbs in French grammar, including their placement rules and examples.
- Degree Adverbs
Degree adverbs in French, including examples of common degree adverbs and how they modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs.
- Place Adverbs
Place adverbs in French, including common examples and rules for their correct placement within sentences.
- Time Adverbs
French time adverbs guide, including common examples, rules, and usage tips for expressing temporal concepts.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
