12.4.1
Formation of Adverbs
Forming Adverbs by Adding 'ment'
Forming Adverbs by Adding 'ment'
Adverbs describe the action that is being done, for example 'quickly'. To form most adverbs in French all you need to do is add 'ment' to the adjective.
Rule
Rule
All you need to do is add 'ment' to the end of the feminine form of the adjective.
- Get the feminine form of the adjective:
- Actuel → actuelle
- Add 'ment' to the end:
- Actuelle + 'ment' → actuellement
- Get the feminine form of the adjective:
Some common adverbs
Some common adverbs
- Actuel → actuelle → actuellement (currently)
- Certain → certaine → certainement (certainly)
- Dernier → dernière → dernièrement (lastly)
- Facile → facile → facilement (easily)
- Heureux → heureuse → heureusement (happily, fortunately)
Exceptions
Exceptions
Some adverbs are exceptions to the rule of just adding 'ment'.
Adjectives ending in 'ent' or 'ant'
Adjectives ending in 'ent' or 'ant'
- If an adjective ends in 'ent' or 'ant', then the 'nt' is replaced by 'mment' to form an adverb.
- Fréquent → fréquemment - frequently
- Apparent → apparemment - apparently
Adjectives ending in 'e'
Adjectives ending in 'e'
- If an adjective ends in 'e', we change the 'e' to 'é' when forming the adverb.
- Uniforme → uniformément - uniformly
- Immense → immensément - immensely
Masculine adjectives ending in a vowel
Masculine adjectives ending in a vowel
- For masculine adjectives that end with a vowel, you don't need to take the feminine form - you simply add 'ment':
- Absolu → absolument (absolutely)
- Vrai → vraiment (really)
- Résolu → résolument (resolutely)
Gentil - kind
Gentil - kind
- 'Gentil' is completely irregular.
- The adverb for 'gentil' is 'gentiment' (kindly).
Examples of Irregular Adverbs - Good, Badly, Fast
Examples of Irregular Adverbs - Good, Badly, Fast
Good, badly and fast all turn into irregular adverbs in French.
Bon - good
Bon - good
- 'Bon' translates as 'good'
- 'Bien' translates as 'well'.
- Il écrit bien.
- He writes well.
- Il écrit bien.
Mauvais - bad
Mauvais - bad
- 'Mauvais' translates as 'bad'.
- 'Mal' translates as 'badly'.
- Ils conduisent mal.
- They drive badly.
- Ils conduisent mal.
Vite - fast
Vite - fast
- 'Vite' translates as 'fast'.
- 'Vite' stays the same when it is an adverb.
- Vous parlez vite.
- You talk quickly.
- Vous parlez vite.
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs
11.1.3RE Present Participle
11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
11.1.6Regular IR Verbs
11.1.7Reflexive Verbs
11.1.8ER Present Participles
11.1.95 Common IR Verbs
11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs
11.1.11Irregular Present Participles
11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
11.1.13Regular RE Verbs
11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs
11.1.165 Common RE Verbs
11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.18Avoir
11.1.19Être
11.1.20Regular ER Verbs
11.1.21IR Present Participle
11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Jump to other topics
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs
11.1.3RE Present Participle
11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
11.1.6Regular IR Verbs
11.1.7Reflexive Verbs
11.1.8ER Present Participles
11.1.95 Common IR Verbs
11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs
11.1.11Irregular Present Participles
11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
11.1.13Regular RE Verbs
11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs
11.1.165 Common RE Verbs
11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.18Avoir
11.1.19Être
11.1.20Regular ER Verbs
11.1.21IR Present Participle
11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
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