adverbes de fréquence grammar in French

Language: French
Level: B1
Unit: Adverbes
Practice types: 0

What this grammar point covers

Adverbes de fréquence are words in French that say how often something happens (like 'always', 'often', 'sometimes'). They help describe routines or repeated actions.

When to use it

Use adverbes de fréquence in French to talk about habits, routines, or how frequently you do something. They are often used with the present tense to describe regular actions.

Key forms

toujours
souvent
parfois
rarement
jamais

Examples

Je mange toujours à la maison.

English: I always eat at home.

Nous allons souvent au cinéma.

English: We often go to the cinema.

Il oublie parfois ses clés.

English: He sometimes forgets his keys.

Vous arrivez rarement en retard.

English: You rarely arrive late.

Elles ne voyagent jamais en hiver.

English: They never travel in winter.

Tips

Usually, place the adverbe de fréquence after the conjugated verb.
With negative sentences, put the adverb after 'pas' (except 'jamais', which replaces 'pas').
Do not use 'jamais' with 'pas'. Use only 'ne... jamais' for 'never'.

Exceptions and edge cases

Some adverbs (like 'quelquefois') can move in the sentence for emphasis.
In compound tenses (like passé composé), most adverbs come between the auxiliary and the past participle: 'J'ai toujours aimé le chocolat.'