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Forming adverbs from adjectives ending in a vowel in French (French Adverbs)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-10-06
9 questions

In French, adverbs can be formed by using adjectives that end in a vowel. 

Irregular adverbs in French

Look at those irregular adverbs:

C'est un refus absolu: je refuse absolument.It's an absolute refusal: I refuse absolutely.

C'est un joli décor: vous avez joliment transformé cette scène.It's a pretty set: you prettily transformed this stage.

C'est vrai: on l'a vraiment fait.It's true: we really did it.

Although regular adverbs are formed from feminine adjectives by adding -ment (see Forming regular adverbs with "-ment" in French (French Adverbs)), when the masculine form of the adjective ends in any other vowel than a silent e,  the adverb is formed from the masculine form instead of the feminine.

 

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Examples and resources

C'est un joli décor: vous avez joliment transformé cette scène.It's a pretty set: you prettily transformed this stage.
C'est un refus absolu: je refuse absolument.It's an absolute refusal: I refuse absolutely.
C'est vrai: on l'a vraiment fait.It's true: we really did it.
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