Given that an adverb can be created easily from a corresponding adjective, it is difficult to cover a vast number of adverbs in the limited space of this book.
Moreover, there are often multiple adverbs that convey a similar meaning. Here are some examples:
1. To say “certainly” or “surely,” you could use one of the following options: “certainement,” “sûrement,” “bien sûr,” or even “sans doute” (undoubtedly).
2. To say “really,” “truly,” or “actually,” you could use: “réellement,” “vraiment,” or “en réalité.” Remember that “actuellement,” in French, means “currently,” not “actually.”
3. To say “finally,” you could use: “finalement,” “à la fin,” or “enfin.”
In this section, we list some of the most common adverbs and adverbial phrases. You will learn more adverbs as you practice French by reading, listening, and understanding the general rules explained in this lesson.
Adverbs of Place
| près proche | near | loin | far |
| devant | in front ahead | derrière | behind |
| dedans à l’interieur | inside | dehors à l’exterieur | outside |
| autour | around | partout | everywhere |
| nulle part | nowhere | à bord | on board |
Adverbs of Time
| bientôt | soon | plus tard ensuite | later |
| tôt | early | tard | late |
| à temps | on time | après | after |
| avant | before | jamais | never |
| toujours | always | soudainement tout à coup | suddenly |
| souvent | often | puis | then |
| généralement habituellement | usually | fréquemment | frequently |
| brièvement | briefly | à la fin | in the end |
| au début | in the beginning | tous les deux jours | every other day |
| tous les jours | every day | à long terme | in the long term |
| à court terme | in the short term | de suite | right away immediately |
| alors | so then | l’avant-dernière nuit | the night before last |
| avant-hier | the day before yesterday | quotidiennement journellement | daily |
| entre-temps en attendant | meanwhile | mensuellement | monthly |
| hebdomadairement | weekly | immédiatement aussitôt | immediately |
Adverbs of Quantity
| très | very much | seulement uniquement | only just |
| trop | too | un peu | a little |
| aucun | none | moins | less |
| beaucoup | so much | assez | enough |
| presque | almost | pas du tout | not at all |
Adverbs of Manner
| comme | as like | comme ça cela | like this |
| ensemble | together | séparément | separately |
| petit à petit | little by little | pas à pas | step by step |
| juste | just | peut-être | perhaps maybe |
| à haute voix | loudly | en hate à la hâte | in a hurry |
| sérieusement | seriously | à peine | barely |
| de plus en outre | moreover | face à face | face to face |
| heureusement par bonheur par chance | fortunately | malheureusement | unfortunately |
Adverbial Expressions
| volontiers volontairement | willingly | à contrecœur | unwillingly |
| sciemment | knowingly | à la mode | fashionably |
| par cœur | by heart | à pied | on foot |
| en chemin en route | on the way | à l’étranger | overseas abroad |
Other lessons in Level III:
