Adverbs often come from adjectives, and a few key suffixes help you turn an adjective into an adverb to describe how, when, or where something happens.
Key Suffixes
The most common adverb-forming suffix in French is -ment, which you add to the feminine form of an adjective, though there are some endings and exceptions to watch for.
| Adjective (Feminine) | Adverb (-ment) | Adjective (Feminine) | Adverb (-ment) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rapide | rapidement | sérieux | sérieusement | |
| douce | doucement | poli | poliment | |
| claire | clairement | heureux | heureusement |
He speaks politely with the clients.
Formation
To form an adverb, start with the adjective's feminine form and add -ment. If the adjective ends in -ant or -ent, you usually change that ending to -amment or -emment.
| Adjective (Masculine) | Adjective (Feminine) | Adverb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| constant | constante | constamment | |
| récent | récente | récemment | |
| évident | évidente | évidemment | |
| patient | patiente | patiemment | |
| intelligent | intelligente | intelligemment |
Adjectives Ending in -y
Adjectives that end in -y change to -i before adding -ment, so heureux becomes heureusement and vrai becomes vraiment.
| Adjective (Feminine) | Adjective (Masculine) | Adverb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| heureux | heureuse | heureusement | |
| vrai | vraie | vraiment | |
| joli | jolie | joliment | |
| rapide | rapide | rapidement |
Irregular Adverbs
Some common adverbs are irregular and don't follow the usual rules, so they must be learned separately. Adverbs like bien, vite, mal, and lentement are used frequently in speech and writing.
| Adjective | Adverb | |
|---|---|---|
| bon | bien | |
| mauvais | mal | |
| rapide | vite | |
| lent | lentement | |
| certain | certainement |
Usage
Adverbs typically follow the verb they modify, but adverbs of manner, time, and place can sometimes be moved for emphasis. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to add detail to an action or description.
Summary
Most French adverbs are formed by adding -ment to the feminine adjective, with predictable changes for adjectives ending in -ant, -ent, or -y. Learn the common irregular adverbs separately and pay attention to placement to fine-tune meaning.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025