French grammar: adverbes de manière

What this grammar point covers

Adverbes de manière are words in French that describe how an action is done. They answer the question 'how?' about a verb.

When to use it

Use adverbes de manière in French to explain how something happens or is done. They are usually placed after the verb.

Key forms

• Most are formed by adding -ment to the feminine form of an adjective: rapide → rapidement.
• Some are irregular: bien, mal, vite.

Examples

Tips

• Most adverbes de manière come after the verb in French.
• Remember that some adverbs don’t follow the -ment rule, like 'bien' and 'mal'.
• Don’t confuse adjectives (which describe nouns) with adverbs (which describe verbs).

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some adverbs are irregular and not formed with -ment, such as 'bien', 'mal', and 'vite'.
• If the adjective ends in -ant or -ent, the ending becomes -amment or -emment (ex: constant → constamment).