The point of this lesson
You do not need thirty new words today. You need a handful of time words that help you place an action, talk about a routine, and keep a conversation moving.
A useful rhythm
Read it. Notice it. Use it.
French adverbs of time are useful because they give a sentence a clock. Compare Je travaille (I work) with Je travaille aujourd’hui (I’m working today). The verb did not change. The situation became clear.
The five words to learn first
| French | Meaning | A sentence you can borrow |
|---|---|---|
| aujourd’hui | today | Je travaille aujourd’hui. |
| demain | tomorrow | On se voit demain ? |
| hier | yesterday | J’ai commencé hier. |
| souvent | often | Je prends souvent le métro. |
| toujours | always / still | Je suis toujours là. |
| déjà | already | J’ai déjà mangé. |
| encore | still / again | Je veux encore un café. |
| bientôt | soon | À bientôt ! |
| jamais | never / ever | Je ne prends jamais de sucre. |
| parfois | sometimes | Je cuisine parfois le soir. |
Where the adverb goes
There is no single position for every French adverb, but you can make good beginner sentences with two reliable patterns. Put a short time word at the beginning or end of the sentence. Put many frequency words after the conjugated verb.
At the beginning or end
- Aujourd’hui, je travaille à la maison.
- Je travaille à la maison aujourd’hui.
- Demain, on prend le train.
After the verb
- Je prends souvent le métro.
- Elle parle toujours français.
- Nous mangeons parfois dehors.
When you are unsure, keep the sentence short. A clear sentence you can say is more valuable than a longer sentence you only understand on paper.
Make it yours
Say it out loud · 90 seconds
Build three sentences about your real week using one time word in each sentence.
- Choose a verb you already know: travailler, apprendre, manger, sortir, or dormir.
- Add aujourd’hui, souvent, or demain.
- Say the sentence once slowly, then once at your normal speed.
- Change one detail and repeat it without looking at the page.
Open a model answer
J’apprends le français aujourd’hui. Je pratique souvent le matin. Demain, je parle avec Marie.
A tiny review for tomorrow
Tomorrow, do not reread the whole table. Pick three words and make one true sentence about your day. If you can say the sentence without translating every word, the lesson has done its job.
- Aujourd’hui: say what is happening today.
- Souvent: say what you do regularly.
- Demain: say what you plan to do next.
Keep the thread going
One lesson becomes useful when it connects to another small action.