Placing frequency adverbs

Level 1

In French, frequency adverbs like souvent (often) or toujours (always) have a specific spot: they never go between the subject and the verb like in English. Instead, they follow the verb you are conjugating.

How It Works

Frequency adverbs quantify how often an action happens. In standard French, these adverbs do not sit between the subject and the verb.

1. Simple Tenses (Present, Imparfait, etc.)
Place the adverb immediately after the conjugated verb.
Example: Elle étudie toujours ici. (She always studies here.)

2. Compound Tenses (Passé Composé, etc.)
• Short adverbs (souvent, toujours, déjà) are placed between the auxiliary verb (avoir or être) and the past participle.
Example: Nous avons souvent voyagé.
• Longer adverbs (especially those ending in -ment) usually follow the past participle.
Example: J'ai mangé régulièrement.

3. With Infinitives
When using a verb chain (like vouloir + infinitive), the adverb usually comes before the infinitive.
Example: Je veux parfois dormir.

4. The Case of 'Jamais'
The word jamais (never) follows the ne...jamais pattern. In simple tenses, it takes the place of pas. However, with an infinitive, ne jamais stays together before the verb.
Example: Il est important de ne jamais fumer. (It is important to never smoke.)

5. Flexibility
While most frequency adverbs have strict placement, parfois (sometimes) is mobile and can start a sentence for emphasis: Parfois, il pleut.

Examples (5)

  1. Je mange souvent au restaurant.

    I often eat at the restaurant.

    Word by Word: I eat often at the restaurant.

    In the present tense, the adverb 'souvent' comes immediately after the conjugated verb 'mange'.

  2. Elle a toujours fini ses devoirs.

    She has always finished her homework.

    Word by Word: She has always finished her homework.

    In the passé composé, 'toujours' is placed between the auxiliary 'a' and the participle 'fini'.

  3. Nous ne regardons jamais la télé.

    We never watch TV.

    Word by Word: We (ne) watch never the TV.

    Using 'jamais' follows the standard negation structure, replacing 'pas'.

  4. Tu es parfois en retard.

    You are sometimes late.

    Word by Word: You are sometimes in delay.

    Even with the verb 'être', the adverb follows the conjugated verb.

  5. Ils ont souvent visité ce musée.

    They have often visited this museum.

    Word by Word: They have often visited this museum.

    Another example of the adverb splitting the auxiliary and the past participle.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing the adverb between the subject and the verb (English word order).

    Je souvent mange des pommes.
    Je mange souvent des pommes.

    In French, you cannot put an adverb between the subject (Je) and the verb (mange). It must follow the verb.

  • Placing the adverb after the past participle in compound tenses.

    J'ai mangé souvent.
    J'ai souvent mangé.

    Short frequency adverbs like 'souvent' normally go between the auxiliary and the past participle. 'J'ai mangé souvent' is possible, but it sounds heavier; the usual place is 'J'ai souvent mangé'.

  • Using 'toujours' when you mean 'again'.

    Different MeaningIl est toujours ici.
    Il est de nouveau ici.

    'Il est toujours ici' is correct French, but it means 'He is still here' or 'He is always here'. To say 'he is here again', use 'de nouveau'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Placing frequency adverbsLevel 1

Learn This First

To place frequency adverbs correctly, you must first understand basic French sentence structure (Subject-Verb-Object) and how to conjugate simple verbs, as these adverbs are positioned immediately after the conjugated verb.