Frequency Adverbs
Frequency adverbs describe how often an action happens, and they help make your descriptions more precise and natural. This guide goes over common adverbs of frequency, useful expressions, and how to position them in sentences.
Basic Adverbs
Basic adverbs give you quick shortcuts to say things like always, sometimes, or never. They are short and commonly used in both speech and writing.
| French Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| toujours | always |
| souvent | often |
| parfois | sometimes |
| rarement | rarely |
| jamais | never |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Je fais du jogging tous les matins. | I go jogging every morning. |
| 🌤️ Je fais du yoga deux fois par semaine. | I do yoga twice a week. |
| 🌧️ Je vais à la piscine parfois quand il pleut. | I sometimes go to the pool when it rains. |
| 🌙 Je médite rarement la nuit. | I rarely meditate at night. |
| 🛌 Je ne fais jamais d’exercice avant de dormir. | I never exercise before sleeping. |
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Expressions
Expressions of frequency can be more precise or more conversational, often using phrases that mention a number or a portion of time. They add nuance beyond the simple adverbs.
| French Expression | English Expression |
|---|---|
| tout le temps | all the time |
| de temps en temps | from time to time |
| une fois par semaine | once a week |
| plusieurs fois par mois | several times a month |
| la plupart du temps | most of the time |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🏃 Je m’entraîne une fois de plus. | I am training once more. |
| ⏰ Je cours de temps en temps au parc. | I run from time to time in the park. |
| 📅 Je fais du sport plusieurs fois par semaine. | I work out several times a week. |
| 🧘 Je m’étire d’habitude le matin. | I usually stretch in the morning. |
| 🚶 Je m’échauffe souvent avant la course. | I often warm up before running. |
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Placement
Adverbs of frequency usually appear after the conjugated verb in simple sentences, but they can come before the verb in more literary or emphatic contexts. With compound tenses, they typically go between the auxiliary and the past participle.
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Summary
Frequency adverbs tune your descriptions of how often things happen, making your speech and writing clearer and more natural. Learn a few basic adverbs and common expressions, and practice placing them in sentences so they feel effortless.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025