Adverbs of Quantity in French

Adverbs of quantity in French (les adverbes de quantité) express the degree, amount, or intensity of an action or quality. These adverbs answer the question “How much?” (Combien ?) and are essential for describing quantities in sentences.

1. Common Adverbs of Quantity

Here is a list of commonly used adverbs of quantity:

General Quantity

• beaucoup – a lot, much, many
• assez – enough
• trop – too much, too many
• peu – little, not much
• autant – as much, as many
• plus – more
• moins – less

Specific or Exact Quantity

• combien – how much, how many
• presque – almost
• tellement – so much, so many
• tant – so much, so many
• tout – all, everything
• à peine – barely

Negation of Quantity

• ne…pas beaucoup – not much
• ne…plus – no more, no longer
• ne…rien – nothing

2. Placement of Adverbs of Quantity in Sentences

1. Before Adjectives or Adverbs:
   Adverbs of quantity usually precede the adjective or adverb they modify.
   • Elle est très intelligente. (She is very intelligent.)
   • Il parle trop vite. (He speaks too fast.)
2. Before Nouns (with “de”):
   When modifying a noun, most adverbs of quantity are followed by de (or d’ before a vowel sound) and the noun.
   • Il a beaucoup de livres. (He has many books.)
   • Nous avons peu d’argent. (We have little money.)
3. After Verbs:
   When modifying a verb, they typically come directly after the conjugated verb.
   • Je travaille beaucoup. (I work a lot.)
   • Elle mange assez. (She eats enough.)

3. Special Notes

• “Autant” vs. “Tellement” vs. “Tant”:
  • Autant is used for comparisons.
    • Il a autant de travail que toi. (He has as much work as you.)
  • Tellement emphasizes intensity.
    • Elle est tellement gentille. (She is so kind.)
  • Tant often implies an overwhelming quantity.
    • Il a tant de choses à dire. (He has so much to say.)
• Negation:
  When negating quantity, the structure changes.
  • Je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps. (I don’t have much time.)
  • Il ne reste plus de pain. (There’s no bread left.)

4. Combining Adverbs of Quantity

You can combine multiple adverbs for emphasis:

• Elle travaille beaucoup trop. (She works way too much.)
• Il parle un peu plus vite qu’avant. (He speaks a little faster than before.)

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French adverbs of quantity indicate how much or to what extent something happens. Examples include “beaucoup” (a lot), “peu” (a little), and “assez” (enough). These adverbs are used to describe the intensity or frequency of an action or state.