Adverbs of frequency in French are words that are used to express how often something happens. They are typically placed after the conjugated verb in simple tenses (present, future, past historic) and after the auxiliary verb (avoir or être) in compound tenses.
Here are some of the most common adverbs of frequency in French:
- Toujours (always): This adverb is used to express that something happens all the time or without exception.
- Ex: Je vais toujours à la plage en été. (I always go to the beach in the summer.)
- Souvent (often): This adverb is used to express that something happens regularly or on a regular basis.
- Ex: Il fait souvent du soleil dans le sud de la France. (It often sunny in the south of France.)
- Parfois (sometimes): This adverb is used to express that something happens occasionally or not on a regular basis.
- Ex: Je mange parfois des hamburgers. (I sometimes eat hamburgers.)
- Rarement (rarely): This adverb is used to express that something happens very infrequently or not often.
- Ex: Il pleut rarement en été. (It rarely rains in the summer.)
- Jamais (never): This adverb is used to express that something does not happen at all or not ever.
- Ex: Je n’ai jamais été à Paris. (I have never been to Paris.)
- Généralement (generally): This adverb is used to express that something happens most of the time or as a general rule.
- Ex: Les gens sont généralement gentils en France. (People are generally nice in France.)
- Habituellement (usually): This adverb is used to express that something happens as a matter of habit or custom.
- Ex: Je me lève habituellement à 7 heures du matin. (I usually wake up at 7 o’clock in the morning.)
- D’habitude (usually): This adverb is another way to express that something happens as a matter of habit or custom.
- Ex: D’habitude, je prends le métro pour aller au travail. (I usually take the metro to work.)
- Régulièrement (regularly): This adverb is used to express that something happens at fixed intervals or on a consistent basis.
- Ex: Elle fait du sport régulièrement. (She exercises regularly.)
- Occasionnellement (occasionally): This adverb is used to express that something happens from time to time or not very often.
- Ex: Je mange occasionnellement des desserts. (I occasionally eat desserts.)
In addition to these common adverbs, there are a number of other expressions that can be used to indicate frequency in French:
- De temps en temps (from time to time): This expression is similar to “parfois” and means “occasionally” or “from time to time.”
- Ex: De temps en temps, je vais au cinéma. (I go to the movies from time to time.)
- Une fois par semaine (once a week): This expression is used to indicate that something happens once every week.
- Ex: Je fais mes courses une fois par semaine. (I do my grocery shopping once a week.)
- Deux fois par jour (twice a day): This expression is used to indicate that something happens twice every day.
- Ex: Je me brosse les dents deux fois par jour. (I brush my teeth twice a day.)
- Tous les jours (every day): This expression is used to indicate that something happens every single day.
- Ex: Je prends le café tous les matins. (I drink coffee every morning.)
By using adverbs of frequency correctly, you can add precision and nuance to your speech and writing in French. You can effectively communicate how often things happen and make your descriptions more vivid and engaging.
always
toujours, tout le temps
never
jamais
early
tôt
late
tard
spend time
passer du temps
go shopping
faire du shopping/faire les magasins
stay at home
rester à la maison
surf the Net
surfer sur internet
every day
tous les jours
every month
tous les mois
every week
toutes les semaines
in the morning
le matin
in the evening
le soir
in the afternoon
l’après-midi
at night
la nuit
listen to music
écouter de la musique
other
autre
sometimes
parfois, quelquefois
often
souvent
usually
d’habitude, généralement, habituellement
rarely, seldom
rarement
regularly
régulièrement
ice rink
patinoire
lie down
s’allonger
go to bed
aller se coucher, aller au lit
work
travailler
get dressed
s’habiller
visit my family/friends
rendre visite à ma famille, mes amis