Adverbs of Time in French

Adverbs of time in French (les adverbes de temps) are used to indicate when an action occurs. These adverbs answer the question “When?” (Quand ?) and are essential for describing the timing or frequency of events.

1. Common Adverbs of Time

Here are some commonly used adverbs of time:

Single Occurrence (When?)

• aujourd’hui – today
• demain – tomorrow
• hier – yesterday
• bientôt – soon
• maintenant – now
• tôt – early
• tard – late

Frequency (How often?)

• toujours – always
• souvent – often
• parfois – sometimes
• rarement – rarely
• jamais – never
• de temps en temps – from time to time
• quelquefois – occasionally

Sequence of Events

• d’abord – first
• ensuite – then, next
• après – after, afterwards
• puis – then
• finalement – finally

Duration

• longtemps – for a long time
• momentanément – momentarily
• brièvement – briefly

2. Placement of Adverbs of Time in Sentences

1. At the Beginning or End of the Sentence:
   Adverbs like aujourd’hui, demain, or hier often come at the beginning or end of the sentence.
   • Aujourd’hui, je vais au marché. (Today, I’m going to the market.)
   • Je vais au marché aujourd’hui.
2. After the Conjugated Verb:
   For adverbs like souvent, rarement, or toujours, they are usually placed right after the conjugated verb.
   • Il travaille toujours tard. (He always works late.)
   • Elle parle souvent de son voyage. (She often talks about her trip.)
3. In Compound Tenses (e.g., passé composé):
   Adverbs are typically placed between the auxiliary verb and the past participle.
   • J’ai déjà fini mes devoirs. (I’ve already finished my homework.)
   • Nous avons souvent voyagé en été. (We often traveled in the summer.)

3. Special Notes on Usage

• “Jamais” is often used with ne for negation:
  • Je ne vais jamais au cinéma. (I never go to the cinema.)
• Adverbs like bientôt or tard can be used to indicate an expectation or delay:
  • Il reviendra bientôt. (He will come back soon.)
  • Tu es arrivé trop tard. (You arrived too late.)

4. Combining Adverbs of Time

You can combine multiple adverbs for more precision:

• Hier soir, elle a appelé tard. (Last night, she called late.)
• Demain matin, je partirai tôt. (Tomorrow morning, I’ll leave early.)

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

In the following sentences, choose the correct adverb expressing time.