These are adverbs of time, place, quantity, manner, affirmation and doubt. They can consist of one or of several words.
1. Adverbs and adverbial expressions of time avant
a pres
before, previously afterwards, later
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aujourd'hui demain apres-demain hier
avant-hier main tenant tard en retard tot en avance de bonne heure bientOt deja longtemps quelquefois parfois souvent toujours ensuite puis depuis alors encore enfin autrefois desormais dorenavant soudain subitement tout a coup toutd'un coup tout a l'heure d'abord tout d 'abord tout de suite en meme temps a Iafois (etre) a l'heure de temps en temps en ce moment
a peine
Note:
today tomorrow
Adverbs
the day after tomorrow yesterday
the day before yesterday now
late
late (persons only) early
early (persons only) early
soon already for a long time sometimes sometimes often always, still
then, next, afterwards then, next, afterwards since (then)
then, so still, again, yet finally
formerly, in the past, in the old days from now on
from now on suddenly suddenly suddenly suddenly
in a little while, a little while ago (at) first
first of all
right away, immediately, at once at the same time
at the same time (to be) on time from time to time at the moment hardly
- Do not confuse tard (late) with en retard (late) and tat (early) with en avance (early).
Tard means late in a general sense.
Je suis rentn~ tres tard. I came home very late.
II est trop tard. It is too late.
En retard is used for persons who are not on time.
Notre professeur est (arrive) toujours en retard. Our teacher always is (arrives) late.
Tot means early in a general sense.
Je me I eve tOt. I get up early.
II est trop tOt pour le dire. It is too early to say.
En avance is used for persons who are early for an appointment.
Les etudiants sont (arrivent) en avance. The students are (arrive) early.
- Deja means ever in some contexts.
A vez-vous deja ete en France? Have you ever been to France?
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300 A Complete French Grammar
Do not confuse the adverbs apres, avant and depuis with the prepositions apres, avant and depuis.
The prepositions are followed by a noun or pronoun, the adverbs are not.
Us sont sortis apres le diner. (Here, apres is a preposition.) They went out after dinner.
Mange d'abord, tu feras tes devoirs apres. (Here, apres is an adverb.) Eat first, you will do your homework afterwards.
- Alors means so ( = consequently) at the beginning of the sentence.
Je n' ai pas pu dormir. Alors, j' ai pris un somnifere.
Alors can also mean then, at that time.
I could not sleep. So, I took a sleeping pill.
II travaillait alors pour son pere. At that time, he worked for his father.
- Encore has several meanings in English, depending on the context.
a still:
b. again:
c. even:
d. yet:
e. more:
Exercice 7
Donnez un synonyme.
Pleut-il encore?
Merci encore!
C' est encore mieux I pire.
Encore faut-ille prouver.
Encore du cafe s'il vous plait.
encore une fois
Is it still raining?
Thanks again!
That's even better I worse.
One has yet to prove it.
More coffee please.
once more
1. quelquefois - - - 4. ensuite _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. tot _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. soudain - - - - 3. a Ia fois - - - 6. dorenavant _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Exercice 8
Traduisez les mots entre parentheses.
1. It is much too (early). II est beaucoup trop - - - -
2. The students arrived (early). Les eleves sont a r r i v e s - - - - 3. You are three minutes (late). Tu es _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ de trois minutes.
4. I always go to bed (late). Je me couche toujours - - - - 5. We are always (on time). Nous sommes toujours - - - - 6. They lived (for a longtime). lis ont vecu - - - -
7. (At first), we played tennis, and (then) we had lunch. - - - • nous avons joue au
tennis et nous avons dejeune.
8. Have you (ever) been to Asia? As-tu - - - e r e en Asie?
9. Are you leaving (today) or (tomorrow)? Pars-tu ou - - - -
10. She is (always) happy. Elle est _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ heureuse.
11. (Suddenly), we heard a noise. nous avons entendu un bruit.
12. He arrived (yesterday). II est a r r i v e - - - - 13. I (still) remember it. Je m'en souviens - - - -
14. Say it (once more) please. Dites-le , s'il vous plait.
15. I know it (already). Je Ie sais - - - -
16. See you (soon)! A ! -See you (in a little while)! A - - - -
17. Where do they live (now)? Ou habitent-ils - - - - 18. I saw him (the day before yesterday). Je l'ai vu - - - -
19. Do you (often) go out? Sortez-vous _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ?-(From time to t i m e . ) - - - - 20. The ambulance came (right away). L'ambulance est v e n u e - - - -
2. Adverbs and adverbial expressions of place ailleurs1
dedans dehors devant derriere
a droite I a gauche
elsewhere inside outside in front behind
on the right I on the left 1. Do not confuse aiUeurs (elsewhere) and d'aiUeurs (besides).
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dessus dessous partout partout ailleurs ici
I a
la-bas la-haut par ici parla en bas en haut quelque part Join pres ac6te1 Exercice 9 Donnez le contraire.
on top
underneath, below everywhere everywhere else here
there
over there, down there up there
this way that way downstairs upstairs somewhere far(away)
near, close by next to it, next door
Adverbs
1. dedans - - - 3. devant _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. en haut _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Exercice 10 Traduisez.
1. everywhere---
2. this w a y - - - - Exercice 11
Traduisez les mots entre parentheses.
4. p r e s - - - -
3. elsewhere--- 4. far _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5. dessous - - - - 6.la _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5. o u t s i d e - - - - 6. over there _ _ _ _ _ _
1. The restaurant is right (next door). Le restaurant est juste - - - -
2. The chair is in front of the table. Let's put it (behind). La chaise est devant Ia table, mettons-la - - - - 3. Are you going (somewhere) this week-end? Vas-tu ce week-end?
4. Is that (far)? Est-ce ? -No, it's very (close by). Non, c'est t o u t - - - - 5. The kitchen is (downstairs). La cusine e s t - - - -
6. This is an old house. When it rains (outside), it also rains (inside). C'est une vieille maison. Quand il pleut - - - • il pleut aussi - - - -
7. In England, one drives (on the left). En Angleterre, on roule _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Adverbs and adverbial expressions of quantity and intensity
assez beaucoup pas mal (fam.) autant trop davantage plus moins au moins du moins (un) peu tres Japlupart plut6t
enough, rather, fairly much, many, a lot quite a few, much, many as much, as many too much, too more more less
at least (Often followed by a number, meaning not less than. J' ai attendu au moins une heure.) at least (Means anyway, in any event: Elle est partie, du moins je Ie pense.)
(a) little very most
rather, preferably, instead
1. Do not confuse the adverbs devant, derriere and a cote with the prepositions devant, derriere, and a cote de. The prepositions are followed by a noun or pronoun, the adverbs are not
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302 A Complete French Grammar Note:
Unlike in English, beaucoup (much, many) cannot be modified by tres or any other adverb of quantity.
Merci beaucoup.
J' ai beaucoup aim e.
Thank you very much.
/liked it very much.
(Do NOT say: Merci ves beaucoup.) (Do NOT say: J'ai aime ves beaucoup.)
Beaucoup cannot be used to reinforce idiomatic expressions with avoir. One uses tres instead.
J' ai tres faim.
II a tres soif.
I am very hungry.
He is very thirsty.
Nous avions tres peur.
lis ont tres chaud.
We were very afraid.
They are very hot.
- Do not confuse plut6t with plus t6t (sooner).
Ne te fache pas! Ris plutot!
Exercice 12
Traduisez.
1. He is fairly tall.
2. Most of the time, she talks too much.
3. That is much too far.
4. Thank you very much.
5. I admire him very much.
Don't be angry! Laugh instead!
6. He has very many friends.
7. I am very afraid.
8. You don't drink enough, you (fam.) should drink more.
9. Are you (pol.) satisfied?- More or less!
10. Don't stay here, come with us instead (fam.).
4. Adverbs and adverbial expressions of manner
aussi bien mal debout ensemble ex pres
petit a petit(= peu a peu) vite
volontiers
surtout(= avant tout) presque
en cachette (=en catimini) en secret
en revanche*
par contre*
par consequent par hasard d'habitude en general
also well, very badly standing, up together
intentionally, on purpose little by little, gradually fast
gladly especially almost secretly secretly
on the other hand
on the other hand, however consequently
by any chance usually usually
* Par contre often introduces a negative element, whereas en revanche frequently introduces a positive statement.
Elle est tres gentille, par contre, elle est !aide.
Elle est !aide, en revanche, elle est tres gentille.
Note:
- Bien and beaucoup are used to weaken the meaning of verb aimer. When bien or beaucoup follow aimer, this verb means to like someone, not to love him or her.
J' aime bien David.
J' aime beaucoup David.
J' aime David.
- Debout means standing and up.
lis sont restes debout toute Ia nuit.
/like David. (I find him likable.) /like David a lot.
/love David. (I am in love with David.)
They stayed up all night.
Chaque matin, je suis debout a sept heures. Each morning, I am up at 7 o'clock.
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Adverbs 303 - Vite is an adverb (vitsFRsat does not exist!) and should not be used with the verb etre.
To translate the service is fast, do NOT say: le service est-¥#e, but le service est rapide.
- The adverb aussi means also. Aussi can also be a conjunction meaning so, therefore. (See p. 432.) Elle est allee a Paris et aussi a Londres. She went to Paris and also to London.
Bon week-end!- Merci, vous aussi! Have a good weekend!- Thanks, you too!
Exercice 12 Donnez un synonyme.
1. rapidement _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. petit a petit ______________ _ 2.apeupres _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 6. bien entendu _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3.enrevanche _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7. en general _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. en cachette - - - 8. plus--- Exercice 13
Traduisez les mots entre parentheses.
1. I am (almost) finished. J'ai fini.
2. We are working (together). Nous travaillons. - - - -
3. Are you going to help me?- (Gladly!) Tu vas m'aider?- - - - 4. He drives (fast). II roule - - - -
5. (I like him). - - - -
6. (Usually), I go to bed at midnight. , je me couche a minuit.
7. Are you already (up)? Es-tu deja _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8. Have a good evening!- (Thanks, you too!) Bonne soiree! - - - -
9. I like animals a lot, (especially) dogs. J'aime beaucoup les animaux, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ les chiens.
10. He is from Russia, (consequently), he speaks Russian. II est de Russie, , il parle russe.
11. Have you seen my umbrella (by any chance)? As-tu vu mon parapluie - - - -
12. The students are sitting but the teacher is (standing). Les eleves sont ass is mais le maitre est _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. Adverbs of doubt, certainty, approximation and affirmation
peut-etre sans doute bien silr bien entendu certes environ a peu pres oui si me me Exercice 14
perhaps, possibly without doubt of course of course
certainly, of course about, approximately approximately, about yes
yes (in a positive answer to a negative question: Tu n'es pas fatigue?- Si, je le suis!) even
Traduisez les mots entre parentheses.
1. Will you come?- (Perhaps)! Est-ce que tu viendras?- - - - 2. He forgot (without doubt). II a oublie.
3. (Yes, of course)!---
4. You didn't understand?- (Yes), I understood! Tun 'as pas compris?- , j'ai compris!
5. The car costs (about) 20,000 euros. La voiture coilte 20 000 euros.
6. (Of course) not! que non!
7. (Even scientists) are sometimes mistaken. se trompent quelquefois.