Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn essential French adverbs of quantity and intensity like "bien" (well), "beaucoup" (a lot), "peu" (little), and "assez" (enough) to describe actions and states effectively in everyday conversation.
  1. These adverbs are invariable; they do not change according to gender or number.
AdverbesExemple
Bien (Well)Elle parle bien anglais. (She speaks well English.)
Peu (Little)Il mange peu de légumes. (He eats few vegetables.)
Beaucoup (Much)Ils ont beaucoup d'amis. (They have many friends.)
Assez (Enough)Je suis assez fatigué. (I am quite tired.)

Exceptions!

  1. Adverbs of quantity and intensity can be combined for more precision. Example: Il parle assez bien anglais.

Exercise 1: Les adverbes de quantité et d'intensité: "Bien", "Beaucoup", etc...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

peu, beaucoup, bien, assez

1.
La maison coûte un million d'euro. C'est ... d'argent.
(The house costs one million euros. That is a lot of money.)
2.
La voiture se vend à quatre cents euros. C'est ....
(The car sells for four hundred euros. It's little.)
3.
Il voyage .... Il part une fois en vacances par an.
(He travels little. He goes on holiday once a year.)
4.
La robe coûte vingt euros et j'ai trente euros. J'ai ... d'argent.
(The dress costs twenty euros and I have thirty euros. I have enough money.)
5.
Nous étudions l'anglais depuis dix ans, donc nous parlons ... anglais.
(We have been studying English for ten years, so we speak English well.)
6.
Elle lit .... Elle a une bibliothèque chez elle.
(She reads a lot. She has a library at home.)
7.
J'achète cinq téléphones par année. C'est ...
(I buy five phones a year. That's a lot.)
8.
Si j'achètes sept paires de chaussettes, j'en ai ... pour la semaine.
(If I buy seven pairs of socks, I have enough for the week.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ça coûte _____ trop cher pour mon budget.

(That costs _____ way too much for my budget.)

2. Je préfère payer _____ plutôt qu'avec la carte bancaire.

(I prefer to pay _____ rather than with a credit card.)

3. Le prix est _____ élevé, mais c'est un bon produit.

(The price is _____ high, but it’s a good product.)

4. Il _____ des billets de vingt euros.

(He _____ twenty-euro bills.)

5. Je mange _____ de légumes parce que je n'aime pas ça.

(I eat _____ vegetables because I don’t like that.)

6. Elle _____ par carte bancaire pour plus de sécurité.

(She _____ by credit card for more security.)

Understanding Adverbs of Quantity and Intensity in French

This lesson covers essential French adverbs that express quantity and intensity. These words help you describe how much or how well something is done, enhancing your ability to communicate nuances in everyday conversations.

Key Adverbs to Know

  • Bien: Used to express proficiency or quality. For example, Elle parle bien anglais.
  • Peu: Indicates a small amount. For example, Il mange peu de légumes.
  • Beaucoup: Means 'a lot' or 'many.' For example, Ils ont beaucoup d'amis.
  • Assez: Means 'enough' or 'quite.' For example, Je suis assez fatigué.

How These Adverbs Work

Adverbs of quantity and intensity are invariable; they do not change form according to gender or number. They often modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to provide more detail about the action or state.

You can also combine adverbs for more precise expressions. For example, Il parle assez bien anglais. means 'He speaks English quite well.'

Differences Between English and French Adverbs

Unlike English, where adverbs often end with “-ly” (like 'quickly' or 'slowly'), French adverbs frequently remain identical to their adjective forms or have different endings. Also, French adverbs like bien and beaucoup do not conjugate or agree with gender and number, which simplifies their use.

Useful French phrases include:

  • Il travaille bien. — He works well.
  • Elle a beaucoup d'amis. — She has many friends.
  • Nous avons assez de temps. — We have enough time.
  • Je mange peu de sucre. — I eat little sugar.

Summary

Mastering these adverbs will improve your descriptive skills in French by allowing you to talk about amounts and intensities precisely. Remember their invariability and the possibility to combine them for nuanced expression.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 10:24