"Très" is probably one of the first French words you learned, and it's certainly the most common way to say "very" in French. But just like in English, relying on a single intensifier can make your language sound a bit repetitive and less nuanced.

Learning French means discovering its rich tapestry of expressions, and mastering different ways to emphasize can significantly elevate your fluency and make your conversations much more engaging.

Ready to add some sparkle to your French adjectives and adverbs? Let's explore 9 fantastic alternatives to "très" that will make your French sound incredibly natural and expressive!

The standard 'very' – très

The standard ‘very’ – très is the most common and versatile word for ‘very’ in French.

Très is used to intensify adjectives and adverbs, much like ‘very’ in English. It always precedes the word it modifies.

Très is invariable. This means it does not change its form to agree in gender or number with the word it modifies, making it straightforward to use.

Always place très directly before the adjective or adverb you wish to intensify. For example, très beau (very beautiful), très vite (very fast).

A common point of confusion for French learners is when to use très versus beaucoup. Remember: très modifies adjectives and adverbs, while beaucoup (meaning ‘a lot’ or ‘much’) modifies verbs or nouns. You would never say j’aime très, but rather j’aime beaucoup (I like a lot).

While bien usually means ‘well’ or ‘good’, it can sometimes act as an intensifier, similar to très, especially in informal contexts or with certain verbs (e.g., C’est bien joli - It’s very pretty). However, très is the standard and more universally applicable word for ‘very’.

It's important to never use très directly with a verb. For example, you cannot say je très aime. Instead, you would use beaucoup (e.g., j’aime beaucoup – I like a lot) or other intensifiers depending on the context.

You’ll often hear très in common phrases such as très bien (very good/well), très peu (very little), and très souvent (very often).

💡 *Il est très gentil. (He is very kind.)
*Elle parle très vite. (She speaks very fast.)
*C'est une très belle voiture. (It's a very beautiful car.)
*Nous sommes très fatigués. (We are very tired.)
*J'ai très faim. (I am very hungry. - literally "I have very hunger")

The 'really' or 'truly' – vraiment

The French adverb vraiment translates directly to 'really' or 'truly' in English, and it’s one of the most common and versatile ways to add emphasis or confirm authenticity in a sentence.

Generally, vraiment is placed after the conjugated verb in simple tenses (e.g., Je veux vraiment), and after the auxiliary verb in compound tenses (e.g., J'ai vraiment aimé).

One of its primary uses is to intensify adjectives or other adverbs. For example, to say 'It's really beautiful,' you would say C'est vraiment beau.

Vraiment can also highlight the truthfulness or intensity of an action. For instance, 'I really believe you' translates to Je te crois vraiment.

In questions, it can seek strong confirmation or express surprise (e.g., Tu es vraiment sûr? - 'Are you really sure?'). In exclamations, it adds powerful emphasis, like C'est vraiment incroyable! ('It's truly incredible!').

While très (very) also intensifies, vraiment often carries a stronger connotation of authenticity, sincerity, or surprise, rather than just a high degree. Think of it as 'truly' or 'genuinely' versus simply 'very'.

As an adverb, vraiment is invariable. This means its form never changes, regardless of the gender or number of the noun or pronoun it relates to.

💡 * C'est vraiment un bon film. (It's really a good movie.)

Elle est vraiment gentille avec tout le monde. (She is truly kind to everyone.)

As-tu vraiment l'intention de partir? (Do you really intend to leave?)

J'ai vraiment apprécié notre conversation. (I really appreciated our conversation.)

C'est vraiment dommage! (It's truly a shame!)

The 'extremely' – extrêmement

The French adverb for 'extremely' is extrêmement.

It's a common and powerful adverb used to express a high degree of something, much like 'extremely' or 'exceptionally' in English.

As an adverb, extrêmement modifies adjectives, other adverbs, and sometimes verbs, adding intensity to their meaning.

In most cases, extrêmement is placed directly before the adjective or adverb it modifies.

While primarily used with adjectives and adverbs, you might occasionally see it modifying a verb, usually placed after the conjugated verb in simple tenses, or between the auxiliary and past participle in compound tenses.

Remember that extrêmement conveys a very strong sense of intensity, indicating something is at the far end of a spectrum.

💡 * Il est extrêmement intelligent. (He is extremely intelligent.)

Elle a été extrêmement gentille. (She was extremely kind.)

C'est un travail extrêmement difficile. (It's an extremely difficult job.)

Nous avons marché extrêmement lentement. (We walked extremely slowly.)

J'apprécie extrêmement votre aide. (I extremely appreciate your help.)

The 'incredibly' – incroyablement

Incroyablement is a French adverb that translates to “incredibly,” “unbelievably,” or “amazingly” in English.

As an adverb, incroyablement is used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, intensifying their meaning.

It conveys a strong degree of something, indicating that an action or quality is remarkable, astonishing, or hard to believe.

Typically, incroyablement is placed after the verb it modifies, or before the adjective or adverb it modifies.

💡 * Il est incroyablement talentueux. (He is incredibly talented.)

Elle chante incroyablement bien. (She sings incredibly well.)

C'était une histoire incroyablement triste. (It was an incredibly sad story.)

La vue était incroyablement belle. (The view was incredibly beautiful.)

Le temps passe incroyablement vite. (Time passes incredibly fast.)

The 'enormously' or 'hugely' – énormément

Énormément is a French adverb meaning 'enormously,' 'hugely,' 'tremendously,' or 'a great deal.' It's used to express a very large quantity, degree, or intensity of something.

As an adverb, énormément modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, intensifying their meaning. It's often placed after the verb in simple tenses or after the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.

While similar to beaucoup (a lot, much), énormément carries a stronger sense of magnitude and emphasis. Think of it as 'a whole lot' or 'to an enormous extent,' highlighting an exceptional degree.

This adverb is widely used in both spoken and written French, across various contexts, from casual conversations to more formal expressions. It's a versatile word for conveying strong emphasis.

💡 * J'ai énormément de travail à faire aujourd'hui. (I have an enormous amount of work to do today.)

Il a énormément apprécié le cadeau. (He hugely appreciated the gift.)

Nous avons énormément voyagé l'année dernière. (We traveled a tremendous amount last year.)

C'est énormément important pour moi. (It's enormously important to me.)

Elle a énormément grandi depuis la dernière fois. (She has grown enormously since last time.)

The 'terribly' (often meaning 'very') – terriblement

The French adverb terriblement directly translates to 'terribly' or 'dreadfully' in English, conveying a sense of fear, horror, or extreme negative intensity. For instance, une situation terriblement dangereuse means 'a terribly dangerous situation'.

However, terriblement is very frequently used in a less literal, more intensified sense, often meaning 'very' or 'extremely,' similar to how 'terribly' can sometimes be used informally in English (e.g., 'terribly good'). This usage often applies to qualities or situations that are not necessarily negative, but simply intense.

When used to mean 'very,' terriblement adds a strong emphasis, suggesting a remarkable or striking degree. It can be paired with both positive and negative adjectives, making it quite versatile. For example, terriblement beau means 'terribly beautiful' (i.e., 'very beautiful'), while terriblement difficile means 'terribly difficult' (i.e., 'very difficult').

While très is the most common word for 'very,' terriblement offers a stronger, more emphatic alternative, often implying a surprising or noteworthy degree. It's more intense than très but generally less formal than extrêmement in many conversational contexts, adding a touch of expressiveness.

Understanding this dual usage is key for French learners. While its literal meaning is 'terribly,' be prepared to encounter terriblement frequently as a powerful intensifier for 'very,' adding significant emphasis to the adjective or verb it modifies in everyday speech.

💡 * Elle est terriblement intelligente. (She is terribly/very intelligent.)

Ce film était terriblement ennuyeux. (This movie was terribly/very boring.)

J'ai terriblement faim ! (I'm terribly/very hungry!)

Il fait terriblement froid aujourd'hui. (It's terribly/very cold today.)

Nous avons terriblement besoin de repos. (We terribly/very much need rest.)

The informal 'damn' or 'really' – sacrément

In French, the adverb sacrément is a versatile and informal word that can be used to express emphasis, similar to 'damn,' 'really,' or 'very' in English.

One common usage of sacrément is to convey a sense of 'damn' or 'really,' often expressing surprise, frustration, or strong affirmation. It adds an informal, slightly exclamatory tone to a statement.

It can also function as an intensifier, meaning 'very' or 'extremely,' particularly when describing qualities or actions. It's a more emphatic alternative to très (very) or beaucoup (much).

💡 * C'est sacrément difficile! (It's damn difficult! / It's really difficult!)

Il a sacrément de chance. (He's damn lucky. / He's really lucky.)

Tu as sacrément bien travaillé! (You worked damn well! / You worked really well!)

C'est sacrément cher ce truc. (That thing is damn expensive. / That thing is really expensive.)

Elle chante sacrément bien. (She sings damn well. / She sings really well.)

The 'quite' or 'rather' – plutôt

The adverb plutôt translates to 'quite,' 'rather,' or 'instead,' and is a versatile word in French used to express preference, degree, or a correction.

Plutôt is often used to express a preference or choice, similar to 'rather' in English. It implies selecting one option over another.

It can also modify adjectives or adverbs to indicate a degree, meaning 'quite' or 'fairly,' or to add emphasis to a statement.

Furthermore, plutôt can introduce a correction or a contrast, functioning like 'rather' or 'instead' when rectifying a previous statement or idea.

💡 * Je préférerais plutôt rester à la maison ce soir. (I'd rather stay home tonight.)

C'est plutôt intéressant, ce que tu dis. (What you're saying is quite interesting.)

Elle est plutôt grande pour son âge. (She is rather tall for her age.)

Non, ce n'est pas difficile, c'est plutôt simple. (No, it's not difficult, it's rather simple.)

The informal 'totally' or 'completely' – carrément

The French adverb carrément is a versatile and very common informal word that translates to “totally,” “absolutely,” or “completely” in English. It's often used to express strong affirmation or to emphasize an action or state.

One of its most frequent uses is to express strong agreement or affirmation, similar to saying “totally!” or “absolutely!” in English. It can be a direct answer to a question or used within a sentence to intensify a statement.

Carrément can also mean “completely” or “entirely,” often implying a straightforward, unequivocal, or even blunt action. In this sense, it describes something done without hesitation or ambiguity.

It's important to remember that carrément is decidedly informal. You'll hear it frequently in casual conversations among friends, family, and younger people. While widely understood, it's generally best to avoid it in very formal settings or professional contexts where more conventional adverbs like totalement or complètement might be preferred, though even those can be considered strong.

💡 * Tu es fatigué? Carrément! (Are you tired? Totally!)

Ce film est carrément génial! (This movie is totally awesome!)

Il a carrément refusé de nous aider. (He completely refused to help us.)

Elle est carrément partie sans dire au revoir. (She totally left without saying goodbye.)

J'ai carrément oublié mon rendez-vous. (I completely forgot my appointment.)

Are there other ways to say 'very' in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to say 'very' in French. But the language offers a rich palette of intensifiers, from formal to colloquial, and even regional expressions, allowing for incredible nuance.

You can also explore further by searching online for 'synonymes de très' or 'comment renforcer une affirmation en français' to discover more options.

While you might discover many ways to intensify your French, always verify the specific nuance and context before using a new intensifier. Not all 'very' words are interchangeable!

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading, watching, and listening — pay close attention to how native speakers choose their intensifiers. You'll notice subtle differences in emphasis and style.

For a deeper dive into French intensifiers and their precise meanings, the WordReference entry for très or a good French dictionary focusing on nuances can be incredibly helpful.

I hope this article has shown you the rich tapestry of ways to express 'very' in French. Mastering these nuances will truly elevate your fluency and allow you to convey your thoughts with greater precision and impact.

9 ways to say "very" in French