Languages › French Learn French Adverbs Describing the Manner of an Event Share Flipboard Email Print MAISANT Ludovic / Getty Images French Grammar Pronunciation & Conversation Vocabulary Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated February 21, 2020 Adverbs of manner explain how something happens. Overview and Conugations The majority of French adverbs of manner end in -ment, which is usually equivalent to the English ending -ly. These adverbs are formed from French adjectives, as follows: If the French adjective ends in a vowel, add -ment to form the adverb: Adjective French adverb English translation absoluadmirablenécessairepassionnépolirudevrai absolumentadmirablementnécessairementpassionnémentpolimentrudementvraiment absolutelyadmirablynecessarilypassionatelypolitelyroughlytruly If the French adjective ends in a consonant, add -ment to the feminine form: Masculine adj Feminine adjective French adverb English translation amicaléventuelfrancnormalpremierrapidsérieuxvif amicaleéventuellefranchenormalepremièrerapidesérieusevive amicalementéventuellementfranchementnormalementpremièrementrapidementsérieusementvivement in a friendly waypossiblyfranklynormallyfirstlyrapidlyseriouslysharply, deeply Exceptions: brefgentil brèvegentille brièvementgentiment brieflykindly Rules I and II ensure that French adverbs have a vowel immediately preceding the -ment ending. The following adverbs follow one of the above rules, but require an acute accent on this vowel: aveuglecommunconformeénorme aveuglémentcommunémentconformémenténormément blindlycommonlyin accordanceenormouslyintensely intenseobscurprécisprofonduniforme intensémentobscurémentprécisémentprofondémentuniformément intenselyobscurelypreciselyprofoundlyuniformly If the French adjective ends in -ant or -ent, remove the ending and add -ammentor -emment: Adjective French adverb English translation apparentbruyantconstantintelligentpatientsuffisant apparemmentbruyammentconstammentintelligemmentpatiemmentsuffisamment apparentlyloudlyconstantlyintelligentlypatientlysufficiently Exception: lent lentement slowly Irregular Adverbs: bref -> brièvement -> briefly gentil -> gentiment -> kindlyExeptions There are a few French adverbs of manner that don't end in -ment: ainsi thus bien well debout standing up exprès on purpose mal poorly, badly mieux better pire worse vite quickly volontiers gladly Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation ThoughtCo. "Learn French Adverbs Describing the Manner of an Event." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/french-adverbs-of-manner-4084830. ThoughtCo. (2020, August 26). Learn French Adverbs Describing the Manner of an Event. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-adverbs-of-manner-4084830 ThoughtCo. "Learn French Adverbs Describing the Manner of an Event." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-adverbs-of-manner-4084830 (accessed January 25, 2021). copy citation