Some French adverbs end in -ément

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As we learned previously, to form regular adverbs in French, you use the feminine form of the matching adjective, to which you add -ment (See Forming regular adverbs with "-ment" in French (French Adverbs)). However, a small number of adverbs end in -ément.

Adverbs ending in -ément in French

Unfortunately for us here, there is no general rule to explain these exceptions (except maybe that it helps with pronunciation), so you just need to learn them.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the most common and therefore useful of these adverbs:

 Masculine adjective Feminine adjective Adverb English
 aveugle aveugle aveuglément blindly
commun commune communément commonly

confus

confuse confusément confusingly, unclearly
énorme énorme énormément enormously / very much
intense intense intensément intensely
précis précise précisément  precisely
profond profonde profondément  deeply / soundly
uniforme uniforme uniformément  uniformly

Now listen to the following examples:

C'est précisément ce que je pensais !That's precisely what I was thinking!

Mon fils dormait profondément.My son was sleeping soundly.

Le conférencier s'exprimait confusément. The lecturer expressed himself unclearly.

Il a réussi à peindre cette lampe uniformément.He managed to paint this lamp uniformly.

Cette expression est communément employée dans le sud de la France.This expression is commonly used in the south of France.

Il me regardait intensément.He was looking at me intensely.

Je l'aime énormément. I love him very much.

 

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Examples and resources

Il me regardait intensément.He was looking at me intensely.
Le conférencier s'exprimait confusément. The lecturer expressed himself unclearly.
Je l'aime énormément. I love him very much.
Cette expression est communément employée dans le sud de la France.This expression is commonly used in the south of France.
C'est précisément ce que je pensais !That's precisely what I was thinking!
Il la suit aveuglément.He follows her blindly.
Mon fils dormait profondément.My son was sleeping soundly.
Il a réussi à peindre cette lampe uniformément.He managed to paint this lamp uniformly.
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