Manner Adverbs
Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed and they often come from adjectives. This guide goes over common adverbs, how to form them, placement in sentences, and useful exceptions.
Common Adverbs
Common manner adverbs express things like speed, style, and attitude. Learning a handful of frequent examples helps you describe actions in detail.
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| lentement | slowly |
| rapidement | quickly |
| soigneusement | carefully |
| bien | well |
| mal | badly |
| doucement | gently / softly |
| exactement | exactly |
| naturellement | naturally |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍽️ Elle mange lentement pour savourer chaque bouchée. | She eats slowly to savor every bite. |
| 🏃 Il court rapidement pour attraper le bus. | He runs quickly to catch the bus. |
| 🗣️ Elle parle clairement pendant la présentation. | She speaks clearly during the presentation. |
| 🧹 Il nettoie soigneusement la table après le repas. | He cleans the table carefully after the meal. |
| 😂 Ils parlent joyeusement pendant la fête. | They speak cheerfully during the party. |
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Formation
Many manner adverbs are formed by adding -ment to the feminine adjective, but you must start from the feminine form and some adjectives change spelling when adding the ending. Adverbs are invariable.
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Placement
Adverbs of manner typically follow the verb they modify. In compound tenses the adverb usually comes after the past participle. Adverbs can also come at the start of the sentence for emphasis.
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Exceptions
Some common adverbs like bien, mal, vite and fort do not follow the -ment pattern and can sometimes appear before the verb. These must be learned individually.
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Summary
Manner adverbs tell us how an action is done, they are often formed by adding -ment to the feminine adjective, and they usually follow the verb. Learn common examples and exceptions to describe actions precisely.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025