Learning French Adverbs
A comprehensive guide that helps beginner English students learn the use of adverbs in the French language.
parfois
sometimes
The French equivalent of 'sometimes' is 'parfois'. It is typically used to describe an event or action that happens not all the time, but on certain occasions. Similar to its usage in English, 'parfois' is usually used in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence in French.
Example sentences with parfois →particulièrement
especially
The French word 'particulièrement' is an adverb which is directly synonymous with the English word 'especially'. It is often used to highlight something particular, often with a sense of singling out or talking about what is exceptional or high importance. Just like in English, it can be used to introduce a case in point or specify a particular situation in a sentence.
Example sentences with particulièrement →partie
part
The French word 'partie' means part in English. It's used to indicate a piece, section or portion of something. It can be used in various contexts, just like the English word part. For example, une partie du gateau would mean a part of the cake. It's pronounced as par-tee in French.
Example sentences with partie →petit
small
The word 'petit' is used in French to describe something small in size. It is used similarly to how 'small' is used in English. For example, to describe a small house, one would say 'une petite maison'. Besides, it could also refer to someone who is not very tall. Note that 'petit' agrees with the gender and quantity of the noun it modifies.
Example sentences with petit →peu
little
The French word 'peu' is generally used as an adjective to indicate a small amount or degree of something. It is used similarly to 'little' in English, such as in the phrase 'un peu de sucre,' which means 'a little sugar.' However, the context of the sentence or phrase can sometimes lead to different translations, so it's always important to take that into consideration.
Example sentences with peu →peu importe
whatever
The French word 'peu importe' is used in the same way as 'whatever' in English. It is often used when the speaker doesn't care about the specific detail of something and can also be used to express indifference or nonchalance about the options available, as in 'Choose whichever you want, it doesn't matter to me'. Similar to its English equivalent, 'peu importe' can sometimes be seen as dismissive or rude if used in the wrong context.
Example sentences with peu importe →peut-être
maybe
The French word 'peut-être' is used similarly to the English word 'maybe.' It is typically used to express uncertainty or indecision. It can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, depending on the construct of the sentence. An example of its usage would be: 'Je viendrai peut-être', meaning 'I may come.'
Example sentences with peut-être →plus
more
In French, 'plus' is used in the same way as 'more' in English. It can be used to express a higher or greater extent or amount. It is usually positioned after the verb in a sentence. The use of 'plus' may vary depending on the context of the sentence.
Example sentences with plus →plus tard
later
The French word 'plus tard' directly translates to 'later' in English. It can be used in the same way we use 'later' in English, to refer to a point in time that happens after the present. For example, it can be used when you are talking about going to a place or doing an action 'later'. Keep in mind that in some contexts, French speakers might also use the word 'après' to mean 'later', but 'plus tard' is a more direct translation.
Example sentences with plus tard →plutôt
rather
The word 'plutôt' is used in French to express preference or to modify an adjective, similar to how 'rather' is used in English. For example, in the sentence 'I would rather eat cake', 'plutôt' would be used in the same way to express preference for cake over something else. It can also be used to imply a considerable degree of something. For instance, 'He is rather tall' suggests he is quite tall.
Example sentences with plutôt →près
near
The French word 'près' is used to denote a close physical or metaphorical proximity, similar to how it's used in English. It can be used as both an adverb and a preposition, so it can describe where someone or something is or a period when something happens that is not far-off. For example, 'Il habite près de la gare' means 'He lives near the station.'
Example sentences with près →presque
almost
The French word 'presque' translates to 'almost' in English. It is used in the same way as 'almost' in English, to represent something that is close to, but not exactly the same. It can be used preceding any noun or verb to express their near completion or occurrence.
Example sentences with presque →probable
likely
The French word 'probable' is used in a similar context to the English word 'likely', indicating something that is very possible or expected to happen. Like its English counterpart, it can be used in a variety of situations, such as predicting the weather ('Il est probable qu'il va pleuvoir'), predicting an outcome ('Il est probable que nous gagnons'), or describing someone's behavioral tendencies ('Il est probable qu'il soit en retard').
Example sentences with probable →probablement
probably
In French, 'probablement' is used similarly to how 'probably' is used in English. It's used to say that something is likely to happen or be true, but you are not certain. It's an adverb and is generally used before a verb, such as 'Je vais probablement partir demain', which translates to 'I will probably leave tomorrow'.
Example sentences with probablement →prochain
next
The French word 'prochain' is used in the same context as the English word 'next'. It is often used to refer to an upcoming event or item in a sequence. For example, you would say 'le prochain arrêt' to refer to 'the next stop' on a bus or train journey.
Example sentences with prochain →quand
when
The French word 'quand' is used in similar context as 'when' in English. It is used to ask about a specific time or to refer to an unspecified time in the future or past. For example, 'Quand tu viens?' means 'When are you coming?'. It can also be used to indicate that something occurs simultaneously as something else, such as 'quand je lis, je suis calme' which means 'when I read, I am calm'.
Example sentences with quand →quelques
some
The French word 'quelques' is used similarly as 'some' in English. It is used when the exact number is not known, or it is not important or relevant to know. For example, you might say 'J'ai quelques amis' which translates to 'I have some friends'. It is also important to note that 'quelques' is always used before a plural noun.
Example sentences with quelques →quoi
what
The French word 'quoi' stands for the English word 'what'. It is often used in forming or answering questions. Similar to the English equivalent, 'quoi' can either be used to ask for specific information ('Quoi est-ce? — What is it?') or to express surprise or disbelief ('Quoi? — What?'). Note that the word ’quoi’ is generally used in informal speech; in formal writing or speech, 'que' or 'quel(le)' is more commonly used.
Example sentences with quoi →rapidement
quickly
The French word 'rapidement' translates to 'quickly' in English. It is an adverb which describes the speed of an action. Just like in English, it is used in French to modify verbs. For example, in the sentence 'Elle court rapidement', which means 'She runs quickly', 'rapidement' is used to express how quickly she runs.
Example sentences with rapidement →récemment
recently
The French word for 'recently' is 'récemment'. It is used in a similar way as in English, to indicate that something has happened in the recent past. But remember that, in French, adverbs typically follow the verb they modify. For example, 'I recently bought a car' can be translated as 'J'ai acheté une voiture récemment'.
Example sentences with récemment →réel
real
The French word 'réel' translates to 'real' in English. It is used in a similar context as in English, to denote something that is not imaginary or theoretical, but actually existing. It can also mean 'serious' or 'considerable' in some contexts. It is generally used as an adjective in a sentence.
Example sentences with réel →s'il vous plaît
please
The French word 's'il vous plaît' literally translates as 'if it pleases you'. It is used in the same way as 'please' is used in English. Generally, it is put at the end of a request or question to make it polite. However, in informal situations, 's'il te plaît' (if it pleases you, informal) can be used. Also, it can be used in different contexts to say 'you're welcome' in response to 'thank you'.
Example sentences with s'il vous plaît →sans
without
The French translation for 'without' is 'sans'. This word is commonly used in French to indicate a lack of something or someone. Just like in English, it can be used in numerous contexts. For instance, you could say 'Je suis sans mon portable' to mean 'I am without my phone'.
Example sentences with sans →seulement
only
The French word for 'only' is 'seulement'. It is used in the same way the English word is used, to indicate singularity, exclusivity, or restriction in amount or quantity. For example, in the sentence 'Il y a seulement un livre sur la table' means 'There is only one book on the table'.
Example sentences with seulement →simplement
simply
The French equivalent of the English word 'simply' is 'simplement'. This word is commonly used in French sentences to denote simplicity or directness, similar to how 'simply' is used in English. For example, 'Il est simplement génial' translates to 'He is simply great' in English.
Example sentences with simplement →sous
under
The French word 'sous' is used to represent the English term 'under'. 'Sous' can be used in various contexts similarly as 'under', such as showing a decrease or deficit ('sous zéro' - 'below zero'), to indicate location ('sous le lit' - 'under the bed'), and to specify a relationship of authority ('sous la direction de' - 'under the management of').
Example sentences with sous →souvent
often
The French word for 'often' is 'souvent'. This is an adverb that is frequently used in French language to indicate that something happens regularly. It can be used in various contexts, similar to its usage in English. For example, 'I often go to the movies' can be translated to 'Je vais souvent au cinéma'.
Example sentences with souvent →sujet
subject
The French equivalent for the English word 'subject' is 'sujet'. This word is used in similar contexts as in English, for example in grammar to denote the topic of a sentence, or to refer to a area of study or interest. Additionally, 'sujet' can also be used to refer to a person in certain contexts, specifically when discussing subjects of a ruler or nation.
Example sentences with sujet →sûr
sure
In French, the equivalent of the English word 'sure' is 'sûr'. There are many ways it can be used, but one common one is to express certainty or confidence in something. For example, if you want to say you're sure that you're going out tonight, you would say 'Je suis sûr que je vais sortir ce soir'. It's also used to affirm something positively. However, like many words, its translation can change in different contexts, so it's always important to keep that in mind.
Example sentences with sûr →tard
late
The French word 'tard' translates to 'late' in English. Similar to English, 'tard' can be used in several contexts in French. It can refer to the time of day, being late to an event, or anything not being on time. However, be aware that the way it is used in a sentence might slightly vary because French grammar is different from English grammar.
Example sentences with tard →