CONJUNCTIONS
Coordinating conjuctions
et – and
mais – but
ou – or
parce que – because
si – if
car – for
comme – as
donc – so, therefore
lorsque – when
quand – when
ne…ni…ni… – neither…nor…
ou…ou, ou bien…out bien… – either…or
que – that, as, than
pendant – while
ADVERBS
How to form adverbs in French
Adverbs are formed in French in much the same way, except that the ending added to the adjective is -ment. This is added to the masculine singular form of the adjective, provided that that form ends in a vowel. If it does not end in a vowel, the -ment is added to the feminine singular adjective.
MASCULINE SINGULAR / FEMININE SINGULAR – ADVERB IN -MENT
désespéré / désespérée – désespérément
facil / facile – facilement
fin / fine – finement
gai / gaie – gaiement
général / générale – généralement
gentil / (gentille) – gentiment
joli / (jolie) – joliment
vrai / vraie – vraiment
commun / commune – communément
obscur / obscure – obscurément
précis / précise – précisément
Irregular adverbs
bon / bonne – bien
mauvais / mauvaise – mal
meilleur / meilleure – mieux
petit / petite – peu
pire / (pire) – pis
Interrogative adverbs
combien – how much, how many
comment – how
où – where
pourquoi – why
quand – when
combien de temps – how long
depuis combien – how long
dans combien de temps – how long before, how long until
après combien de temps – how long (it will be) until, before how long (was it) until, before how long (would it be) until, before (other tenses as needed)
en combien de temps – how long… take (any tense)
pour combien de temps – for how long, how long… intend to…
combien de – how much, how many (with noun)
comment se fait-il que (+ subjunctive) – how come, how does it happen that
d’où – from where, where
jusqu’où – how far
par où – which way, in what direction
(mais) pourquoi donc – (but) why on the earth
de quand (date) – what is the date of origin
jusqu’à quand – how long (with future), until when
après quand – after what date, at what time
à partir de quand – starting when, at what time
depuis quand – how long (with past tense), since when
Comparative adverbs
plus… (que) – more… (than)
mois… (que) – less… (than)
aussi.. (que) – as… as
Superlative adverbs
le plus… (que) – the most… (that)
le mois… (que) – the least… (that)
Adverbs with irregular comparatives and superlatives
(ADVERB / COMPARATIVE / SUPERLATIVE)
beaucoup / plus / le plus
bien / mieux / le mieux
mal / pis, plus mal / le pis, le plus mal
peu / mois / le mois
ci and là
Ci indicates proximity, là indicates distance. Both are used in the formation of adverbial expressions as well.
ci-après – hereafter
ci-contre – opposite
ci-dessous – hereafter, below
ci-dessus – aphorisme, above
ci-devant – formerly
là-bas – over there
là-haut – up there
là-dedans – in there, therein
là-dessous – under there, thereunder
là-dessus – on there, thereon, thereupon
par-ci par-là, de-ci de-là, ici et là, ça et là
Comme ci, comme ça. – SO-so.
par là – that way, in that direction, by that, by those words
de là – from there, thence
ici is the opposite of là.
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