Adverb formation with -ment
Lent → lentement
Many French adverbs end in -ment, like English -ly: lentement = slowly. They're built from adjectives.
Rule 1: feminine adjective + -ment
- lent → lente → lentement (slowly)
- heureux → heureuse → heureusement (fortunately)
- doux → douce → doucement (gently)
- sérieux → sérieuse → sérieusement (seriously)
- actif → active → activement (actively)
Rule 2: adjective ends in a vowel → masculine + -ment
- vrai → vraiment (really)
- poli → poliment (politely)
- absolu → absolument (absolutely)
- rapide → rapidement (quickly)
Rule 3: -ant / -ent → -amment / -emment
- constant → constamment (constantly)
- courant → couramment (fluently)
- évident → évidemment (obviously)
- récent → récemment (recently)
Both -amment and -emment are pronounced -amant.
Irregular
- gentil → gentiment, bref → brièvement
- précis → précisément, énorme → énormément, profond → profondément
Not every adverb ends in -ment
Many very common adverbs don't: bien, mal, vite, souvent, toujours, déjà, beaucoup, trop, assez, très.
- Il parle couramment le français.He speaks French fluently.
- Elle conduit trop vite.She drives too fast.
For where to put adverbs, see Adverb position.
Practice
- doux → _____
Show the answer
doucement
- vrai → _____
Show the answer
vraiment
- rapide → _____
Show the answer
rapidement
- évident → _____Options: évidemment · évidamment · évidentement
Show the answer
évidemment
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days until you've mastered it.