French - Frequency

Lesson 37 of 159

French learner thinking about daily routines and frequency phrases, lesson on frequency.

Goal: Talk about how often things happen

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Bienvenue! Ready for another short French warm-up? This lesson focuses on talking about frequency — from 'rarely' to 'all the time.' Have fun listening, repeating, and practicing.

Quick note: in Yak Yacker style, you'll hear the phrases, practice with short quizzes, then say them aloud yourself. Let's go!

Level A2: In this lesson you'll learn and practice common French phrases for frequency: saying something happens rarely, every morning, on weekends, and asking “How often?” We'll practice short answers, routine phrases, and questions so you can talk about daily habits and how often things happen. This lesson is CEFR-aligned and playful — perfect for building confident small talk.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use simple frequency phrases in French (A2).
  • Ask and answer Ça arrive à quelle fréquence ? and other frequency questions.
  • Talk about routines: tous les matins, tous les soirs, le week-end, toutes les deux semaines.
Two friends chat about how often they do activities, practicing French frequency phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Je ___ rarement.

I rarely ___.

Meaning: I rarely ___.

When to use: Use when you want to say that an action happens seldom. Put a verb conjugated for je after the blank.

Tip: Don't use the infinitive; the verb must be conjugated for je (e.g., je mange, not je manger).

Je mange rarement au restaurant.
I rarely eat at restaurants.
Je regarde rarement la télévision.
I rarely watch TV.

Je ___ tout le temps.

I ___ all the time.

Meaning: I ___ all the time.

When to use: Say this when something happens very frequently. Use a verb conjugated for je (or j' if the verb starts with a vowel).

Tip: Remember to contract to j' only when the verb begins with a vowel sound (e.g., j'étudie).

Je travaille tout le temps en ce moment.
I work all the time at the moment.
Je pense à ce projet tout le temps.
I think about this project all the time.

Ça arrive à quelle fréquence ?

How often does it happen?

Meaning: How often does it happen?

When to use: Ask this question to find out the frequency of an event or situation.

Ça arrive à quelle fréquence, les pannes de métro ici ?
How often do metro breakdowns happen here?
Tu as des réunions : ça arrive à quelle fréquence ?
You have meetings: how often do they happen?

Tu ___ tous les jours ?

Do you ___ every day?

Meaning: Do you ___ every day?

When to use: Use this informal question to ask a friend whether they do an activity daily (tu form).

Tu cours tous les jours ?
Do you run every day?
Tu cuisines tous les jours ?
Do you cook every day?

Je ___ presque tous les jours.

I ___ most days.

Meaning: I ___ most days.

When to use: Say this when an activity happens on most days but not every single day.

Je prends le bus presque tous les jours.
I take the bus most days.
Je lis presque tous les jours avant de dormir.
I read most days before sleeping.

Je ___ tous les matins.

I ___ every morning.

Meaning: I ___ every morning.

When to use: Use to describe a routine that happens each morning. Use a verb conjugated for je.

Tip: Be careful: it's "tous les matins" (plural) for the routine, not "tous les matin."

Je bois du café tous les matins.
I drink coffee every morning.
Je fais du yoga tous les matins.
I do yoga every morning.

Je ___ tous les soirs.

I ___ every evening.

Meaning: I ___ every evening.

When to use: Say this to describe an evening routine. Use a verb conjugated for je.

Je promène le chien tous les soirs.
I walk the dog every evening.
Je regarde un film tous les soirs.
I watch a movie every evening.

Je ___ le week-end.

I ___ on weekends.

Meaning: I ___ on weekends.

When to use: Use this to say what you usually do on weekends (le week-end).

Je vais au marché le week-end.
I go to the market on weekends.
Je me repose le week-end.
I rest on weekends.

Je ___ de temps en temps.

I ___ once in a while.

Meaning: I ___ once in a while.

When to use: Use this to say something happens occasionally or from time to time.

Je fais du vélo de temps en temps.
I ride a bike once in a while.
Je mange des sucreries de temps en temps.
I eat sweets once in a while.

Je ___ toutes les deux semaines.

I ___ every two weeks.

Meaning: I ___ every two weeks.

When to use: Say this when an action happens at two-week intervals. Use a verb conjugated for je.

Je rends visite à mes parents toutes les deux semaines.
I visit my parents every two weeks.
Je nettoie la voiture toutes les deux semaines.
I clean the car every two weeks.

Pas aussi souvent qu'avant.

Not as often as before.

Meaning: Not as often as before.

When to use: Use this short reply to say something happens less than it used to.

Je jouais plus jeune; maintenant, pas aussi souvent qu'avant.
I used to play more when I was younger; now, not as often as before.
Je voyais mes collègues souvent, mais pas aussi souvent qu'avant.
I used to see my colleagues often, but not as often as before.

Pas tous les jours.

Not every day.

Meaning: Not every day.

When to use: Use this short answer to say that an action is regular but not daily.

Tu fais du sport ? — Pas tous les jours.
Do you exercise? — Not every day.
Je travaille de la maison parfois, mais pas tous les jours.
I work from home sometimes, but not every day.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David catch up about their routines and how often things happen.

Anna and David in a casual conversation using phrases like "Ça arrive à quelle fréquence ?" and "Je ___ tous les matins."

What does Anna say about how often she exercises?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Ça arrive à quelle fréquence, les cours de fitness ?

How often do the fitness classes happen?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Il y en a le week-end et en semaine, mais je vais presque tous les jours.

There are some on weekends and weekdays, but I go most days.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Wow. Moi, je fais du sport de temps en temps, pas tous les jours.

Wow. Me, I exercise once in a while, not every day.

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Pas aussi souvent qu'avant ?

Not as often as before?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Exactement. Maintenant je travaille tout le temps.

Exactly. Now I work all the time.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French phrase means 'I ___ every morning.'?

Which choice is the French question 'How often does it happen?'?

Which phrase would you use to say 'I do that once in a while'?

Which short reply best fits the English 'Not every day.'?

Each morning, I make breakfast. Then, I do yoga every morning.

Anna: Chaque matin, je prépare le petit déjeuner. Ensuite, ___.

Paul: Do you see Marie often? Sophie: No, not every day.

Paul: Tu vois Marie souvent ? Sophie: Non, ___.

Marc: I only go once or twice a year, I go to the cinema once in a while.

Marc parle du cinéma : «Je n'y vais qu'une ou deux fois par an, ___.»

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ rarement.

I rarely ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ tout le temps.

I ___ all the time.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ça arrive à quelle fréquence ?

How often does it happen?

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu ___ tous les jours ?

Do you ___ every day?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ presque tous les jours.

I ___ most days.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ tous les matins.

I ___ every morning.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ tous les soirs.

I ___ every evening.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ le week-end.

I ___ on weekends.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ de temps en temps.

I ___ once in a while.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je ___ toutes les deux semaines.

I ___ every two weeks.

Say this phrase out loud:

Pas aussi souvent qu'avant.

Not as often as before.

Say this phrase out loud:

Pas tous les jours.

Not every day.