Grammar_Adverbs_Placement.pageTitle
Knowing where to place an adverb in a French sentence is crucial for sounding natural. While English is quite flexible, French follows specific structural rules depending on the tense of the verb. Master these patterns and practice them with PrepMyFrench interactive exercises to build your fluency.
Simple Tenses
The Basic Rule
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Sentence Structure
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Example
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Compound Tenses
Compound Tense Placement
Short & Common Adverbs
Short or frequently used adverbs (like 'bien', 'mal', 'déjà', 'souvent') usually sit between the auxiliary verb and the past participle.
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Check the PrepMyFrench verb conjugator for more compound tense examples!
Longer Adverbs
Longer adverbs or adverbial phrases (often ending in -ment) are typically placed after the past participle.
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Tip: If the adverb describes the whole action, place it at the end.
Special Cases & Nuances
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Hier, j'ai mangé une pomme
Nous irons à Paris demain