Question 1

Why is toujours placed after arrive? In English, we say 'always arrives'.

Accepted Answer

In French, adverbs like toujours (always), souvent (often), or parfois (sometimes) usually go directly after the conjugated verb. You cannot put them between the subject and the verb like we do in English. So, Il toujours arrive is incorrect; it must be Il arrive toujours.

Question 2

Doesn't toujours also mean 'still'? How do I know it means 'always' here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, toujours can mean 'always' or 'still' depending on the context! Here, because it is describing a general habit of arriving early (tôt), 'always' makes the most sense. If the sentence was Il travaille toujours, it could mean 'He is still working' or 'He is always working', and you would rely on the rest of the conversation to know which one fits.

Question 3

Since we are learning about telling time, how would I add a specific time to this sentence?

Accepted Answer

You can easily add a specific time to the end of the sentence. For example, Il arrive toujours tôt, à huit heures means 'He always arrives early, at eight o'clock'. The word tôt (early) works perfectly alongside the Il est [x] heure(s) expressions you are currently practicing.

Question 4

What is the opposite of tôt if I want to say he arrives late?

Accepted Answer

The direct opposite of tôt (early) is tard (late). To say 'He always arrives late', you would say Il arrive toujours tard. If you are talking about someone being late for a specific appointment, you will also frequently hear the phrase être en retard (to be running late).

Il arrive toujours tôt.

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