2. Usage
Adverbs modify:
Verbs (Il parle lentement)
Adjectives (Il a une très grande voiture)
Other adverbs (Elle parle bien vite)
3. Formation
Feminine form of the adjective + “-ment”:
heureux--> heureuse--> heureusement
If the masculine form of the adjective ends in a
vowel, just add “-ment”: poli--> poliment
If the adjective ends in “-ent,” add “-emment.”
If it ends in “-ant,” add “-amment”:
patient--> patiemment;
contant--> constamment
5. Placement
In a simple (no auxiliary verb) tense, adverbs
follow the verb: Je vois/voyais/verrai mon
frère fréquemment (fréquent--> end in “-ent,”
so becomes “-emment).
Time adverbs and ones that modify the entire
idea of the sentence come at the beginning:
“Aujourd’hui, j’ai fait tous mes devoirs.”
6. Placement cont’d...
In the passé composé, adverbs ending in “-ment”
usually follow the past participle: “Elle a parlé
lentement.”
HOWEVER, many short, common adverbs go
between the auxiliary verb and the past participle:
“Nous avons beaucoup travaillé ce semestre.”
Other adverbs like this are: bien, mal, déjà,
encore souvent, quelquefois, assez, trop, jamais,
rien.
