French frequency adverbs are words that indicate how often an action occurs. They typically appear before the main verb or after the auxiliary in compound tenses.
This article covers the most common French frequency adverbs, including their meanings, typical sentence placements, and example sentences.
Common Frequency Adverbs
Here are some of the most commonly used French adverbs of frequency and their English equivalents:
| French Adverb | English Translation |
|---|---|
| toujours | always |
| souvent | often |
| parfois | sometimes |
| rarement | rarely |
| jamais | never |
| de temps en temps | from time to time / occasionally |
| habituellement | usually |
| généralement | generally |
| fréquemment | frequently |
Yo ___ (nunca) desayuno tarde.
Which French adverb means 'never'?
jamais
The adverb 'jamais' means 'never,' indicating that an action does not occur at any time.
Sentence Position
In French, frequency adverbs usually appear in one of two places:
- Before the main verb:
Je mange toujours des légumes.* (I always eat vegetables.)
- After the auxiliary verb in compound tenses:
J’ai souvent voyagé en France.* (I have often traveled to France.)
Exceptions:
- Longer expressions like de temps en temps typically go at the end:
Je vais au cinéma de temps en temps.* (I go to the movies from time to time.)
Examples
Here are example sentences demonstrating how each frequency adverb is used:
| French Adverb | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| toujours | Elle est toujours à l’heure. | She is always on time. |
| souvent | Nous sortons souvent le soir. | We often go out in the evening. |
| parfois | Parfois, je travaille le week-end. | Sometimes, I work on weekends. |
| rarement | Il mange rarement des sucreries. | He rarely eats sweets. |
| jamais | Je ne fume jamais. | I never smoke. |
| de temps en temps | Je rends visite à mes grands-parents de temps en temps. | I visit my grandparents from time to time. |
| habituellement | Habituellement, je prends le bus. | Usually, I take the bus. |
| généralement | Généralement, il fait chaud en été. | Generally, it’s hot in summer. |
| fréquemment | Elle voyage fréquemment pour le travail. | She frequently travels for work. |
Negative Form
When using jamais (never), the sentence is typically negative and follows this structure:
Subject + ne + verb + jamais ...
Example:
- Je ne mange jamais de viande. (I never eat meat.)
Note: In spoken French, the ne is often dropped (Je mange jamais de viande.), but in writing, keep the ne.
Summary
- French frequency adverbs indicate how often an action occurs.
- Common adverbs include toujours, souvent, parfois, rarement, and jamais.
- Adverbs usually go before the main verb or after the auxiliary in compound tenses.
- Longer expressions like de temps en temps go at the end of the sentence.
- Jamais requires a negative construction: ne ... jamais*.
Understanding these adverbs helps you describe routines, habits, and experiences more naturally in French.
Where do frequency adverbs usually appear in French sentences?
Before the main verb or after the auxiliary verb
Frequency adverbs typically go before the main verb in simple tenses or after the auxiliary in compound tenses.
Flashcards (1 of 18)
- English Translation: always
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
