Adverbs: Formation and Usage

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, adding precision and nuance to your French. While adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe how, when, where, or to what degree something happens. Unlike adjectives, French adverbs never change form — they are invariable.

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Forming Adverbs from Adjectives

The most common way to form a French adverb is to add -ment to the adjective. The process depends on the adjective's ending:

Rule 1: Feminine adjective + -ment

For most adjectives, take the feminine form and add -ment:

Masculine Adj.	Feminine Adj.	Adverb	Meaning
lent	lente	lentement	slowly
heureux	heureuse	heureusement	happily/fortunately
doux	douce	doucement	softly/gently
actif	active	activement	actively
sérieux	sérieuse	sérieusement	seriously
naturel	naturelle	naturellement	naturally
premier	première	premièrement	firstly
franc	franche	franchement	frankly
secret	secrète	secrètement	secretly
cruel	cruelle	cruellement	cruelly