ADVERB / L’ADVERBE

Adverbs modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs.Interrogative (when?) and negative (neither) adverbs, as well as comparative and superlative forms (less quickly) are described below in separate sections.

 

CONSTRUCTION

1. Many adverbs are formed by adding-mentto the masculine singular form of an adjective ending in a vowel, when the masculine singular form of an adjective ends in a consonant, the adverb is formed from the feminine singular form: poli → poliment, rapide → rapidement doux (douce) → doucement naturel (naturelle) → naturellement

   1. Adjectives ending in-antand-entbecome adverbs ending in-ammentand-emment: suffisant → suffisamment, evident → évidemment. Exception: lent → lentement

   2. irregular-mentadverbs: gentil → gentiment, bref → brièvement

2. Some adverbs are related to adjectives but do not end in-ment: bon → bien; mauvais → mal, petit → peu; meilleur → mieux.

3. some adverbs do not come from adjectives; others are composed of several words.

   1. Adverbs of frequency: jamais(never), de temps en temps(sometimes), souvent(often), toujours(always)

   2. Adverbs of quantity: beaucoup(much, many), peu(little), moins(less, fewer), plus(more), tant(so much, so many), trop(too much, too many), autant(as much, as many), assez(enough)

   3. others: très(very), déjà(already), d'abord(first), tôt(early), tard(late), à peu près(approximately), vite(quickly), ensemble(together), plutôt(rather [more likely]), exprès(on purpose)

 

POSITION IN SENTENCE

Most adverbs that modify verbs come immediately after the conjugated part of the verb. Je ne t'ai pas encore embrassé.(I haven't kissed you yet.)