The position of adverbs in a French sentence depends on their type and the element they modify. Here are some general rules for correctly placing adverbs.
Adverbs Modifying a Verb
Adverbs that modify a verb are generally placed after the conjugated verb. If the verb is in a compound tense, the adverb is usually placed between the auxiliary and the past participle.
- Elle parle rapidement. (She speaks quickly.)
- Il a malheureusement perdu. (He unfortunately lost.)
- Je vais vite rentrer. (I am going to come back quickly.)
Adverbs Modifying an Adjective or Another Adverb
When an adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, it is generally placed just before the element it modifies.
- Elle est très intelligente. (She is very intelligent.)
- Il travaille assez lentement. (He works quite slowly.)
Adverbs Modifying an Entire Sentence
Some adverbs can modify an entire sentence to express the speaker's opinion or attitude towards the communicated information. These adverbs are often placed at the beginning or end of the sentence.
- Heureusement, nous sommes arrivés à temps. (Fortunately, we arrived on time.)
- Nous partons demain, probablement. (We are leaving tomorrow, probably.)