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