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Creating adverbs from adjectives using '-ment'

In English, we often turn an adjective into an adverb by adding the ending "-ly". For example, "slow" becomes "slowly". French does something very similar with the ending -ment.

However, there is a catch. Instead of adding this ending to the default masculine adjective, French usually requires you to use the feminine singular form of the adjective first. Understanding this step helps you form words like lentement, heureusement, and exactement effortlessly.

Word list
égalementA1 also égal -> égale -> également actuellementA2 now actuel -> actuelle -> actuellement annuellementA2 yearly annuel -> annuelle -> annuellement approximativementA2 approximately approximatif -> approximative -> approximativement dernièrementA2 recently dernier -> dernière -> dernièrement facilementA2 easily facile -> facile -> facilement finalementA2 finally final -> finale -> finalement généralementA2 usually général -> générale -> généralement gratuitementA2 for free gratuit -> gratuite -> gratuitement habituellementA2 usually habituel -> habituelle -> habituellement hebdomadairementA2 weekly hebdomadaire -> hebdomadaire -> hebdomadairement heureusementA2 fortunately heureux -> heureuse -> heureusement immédiatementA2 immediately immédiat -> immédiate -> immédiatement lentementA2 slowly lent -> lente -> lentement malheureusementA2 unfortunately malheureux -> malheureuse -> malheureusement manifestementA2 obviously manifeste -> manifeste -> manifestement mensuellementA2 monthly mensuel -> mensuelle -> mensuellement normalementA2 usually normal -> normale -> normalement particulièrementA2 especially particulier -> particulière -> particulièrement premièrementA2 first premier -> première -> premièrement probablementA2 probably probable -> probable -> probablement quotidiennementA2 daily quotidien -> quotidienne -> quotidiennement rapidementA2 fast rapide -> rapide -> rapidement rarementA2 rarely rare -> rare -> rarement affectueusementB1 fondly affectueux -> affectueuse -> affectueusement antérieurementB1 previously antérieur -> antérieure -> antérieurement attentivementB1 carefully attentif -> attentive -> attentivement certainementB1 definitely certain -> certaine -> certainement complètementB1 completely complet -> complète -> complètement directementB1 directly direct -> directe -> directement entièrementB1 completely entier -> entière -> entièrement exactementB1 exactly exact -> exacte -> exactement intentionnellementB1 intentionally intentionnel -> intentionnelle -> intentionnellement justementB1 exactly juste -> juste -> justement minutieusementB1 carefully minutieux -> minutieuse -> minutieusement naturellementB1 of course naturel -> naturelle -> naturellement parfaitementB1 perfectly parfait -> parfaite -> parfaitement partiellementB1 partially partiel -> partielle -> partiellement principalementB1 mainly principal -> principale -> principalement progressivementB1 little by little progressif -> progressive -> progressivement soigneusementB1 carefully soigneux -> soigneuse -> soigneusement soudainementB1 suddenly soudain -> soudaine -> soudainement tendrementB1 fondly tendre -> tendre -> tendrement totalementB1 completely total -> totale -> totalement volontairementB1 intentionally volontaire -> volontaire -> volontairement adroitementB2 skillfully adroit -> adroite -> adroitement définitivementB2 for good définitif -> définitive -> définitivement essentiellementB2 mainly essentiel -> essentielle -> essentiellement habilementB2 skillfully habile -> habile -> habilement initialementB2 at first initial -> initiale -> initialement littéralementB2 literally littéral -> littérale -> littéralement subitementB2 suddenly subit -> subite -> subitement trimestriellementB2 quarterly trimestriel -> trimestrielle -> trimestriellement figurativementC1 figuratively figuratif -> figurative -> figurativement hâtivementC1 hurriedly hâtif -> hâtive -> hâtivement préalablementC1 beforehand préalable -> préalable -> préalablement précautionneusementC1 carefully précautionneux -> précautionneuse -> précautionneusement sagementC1 wisely sage -> sage -> sagement
The basic rule

To build a regular adverb, you start with a masculine adjective, change it to its feminine form, and then add -ment to the end.

For instance, the masculine adjective lent (slow) becomes lente in the feminine. Add -ment, and you get lentement (slowly). The same pattern applies to exact, which becomes exacte and then exactement.

Il conduit très lentement.
(He drives very slowly.)
C'est exactement ce que je voulais dire.
(That is exactly what I wanted to say.)
Elle a parfaitement compris le problème.
(She understood the problem perfectly.)
Feminine spelling changes

Because this rule relies on the feminine form, any spelling changes that happen when making the adjective feminine will carry over into the adverb.

  • Adjectives ending in "-eux" become "-euse". Therefore, heureux becomes heureuse, giving us heureusement.
  • Adjectives ending in "-f" become "-ve". The word attentif becomes attentive, giving us attentivement.
  • Adjectives ending in "-et" often add a grave accent. For example, complet becomes complète, giving us complètement.
Heureusement, il n'a pas plu.
(Fortunately, it didn't rain.)
Malheureusement, le magasin est fermé.
(Unfortunately, the store is closed.)
Vous devez écouter le professeur attentivement.
(You must listen to the teacher carefully.)
J'ai complètement oublié ton anniversaire.
(I completely forgot your birthday.)
When forms are identical

If a masculine adjective already ends in an unaccented "e", its feminine form is exactly the same. In these cases, you do not need to change the spelling before adding -ment.

For example, probable remains probable in the feminine, making the adverb probablement. The word sage works exactly the same way to become sagement.

Ils vont probablement arriver en retard.
(They will probably arrive late.)
Les enfants jouent sagement dans le salon.
(The children are playing wisely in the living room.)
Watch out

Not every adjective uses its feminine form to create an adverb. If a masculine adjective ends in a vowel other than an unaccented "e" (such as "i" or "u"), you usually add -ment directly to the masculine form. For example, vrai (true) becomes vraiment (truly).

Additionally, adjectives ending in "-ant" or "-ent" skip the standard -ment rule entirely. Instead, they drop their final "nt" and add -amment or -emment. While it is good to recognize these exceptions, the feminine rule is your most reliable starting point for most adjectives.

Généralement, je bois du café le matin.
(Generally, I drink coffee in the morning.)
Summary

To turn an adjective into an adverb with -ment, find the feminine singular form of the adjective first. If the adjective has a special feminine spelling, the adverb will keep it.