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impatiemment

A2 adverb #6,000 most common 7 min read

impatiemment

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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips impatiemment in 30 Seconds

Explanation impatiemment in your Level:

At the A1 level, you are just starting to learn how to describe actions. You might know the adjective 'impatient' (impatient). The adverb 'impatiemment' means 'impatiently'. You use it to say how you are waiting for something. For example, if you are waiting for your friend at a café, you are waiting 'impatiemment'. It is a long word, but it is useful for showing your feelings. Just remember that it usually comes after the verb. If you say 'J'attends impatiemment', you are telling someone that you are very excited or a little bit annoyed because you want something to happen right now. It is a good word to use in simple messages to friends when you are excited to see them. Focus on the meaning first, and don't worry too much about the spelling yet, although knowing it ends in -ment is a good start for learning French adverbs.

At the A2 level, you should begin to recognize the pattern for forming adverbs from adjectives. Adjectives that end in -ent, like 'impatient', change to -emment to become adverbs. This is why we have 'impatiemment'. You will use this word to add detail to your sentences. Instead of just saying 'I am waiting', you can say 'I am waiting impatiently'. This makes your French sound more natural and expressive. You will often see this word in short stories or hear it in movies when a character is waiting for a bus or a phone call. Practice putting it after the verb: 'Il regarde impatiemment sa montre' (He looks impatiently at his watch). Notice that the 'e' in the middle sounds like an 'a'. This is a common rule for adverbs ending in -emment.

By B1, you are expected to use adverbs like 'impatiemment' to express nuances of emotion and attitude. You should be comfortable with its placement in various tenses. In the passé composé, it usually comes after the past participle: 'Nous avons attendu impatiemment les résultats'. You can also use it to set the tone of a narrative. It's a great word for describing a character's state of mind without using too many words. You should also be aware of the synonym 'avec impatience', which is very common in French. You might choose 'impatiemment' for a more direct adverbial feel or 'avec impatience' for a slightly more formal or rhythmic sentence. Start incorporating it into your written assignments, especially when describing feelings or reactions to events.

At the B2 level, you should have a solid grasp of the orthographic rules that distinguish 'impatiemment' from adverbs ending in '-amment'. You understand that the root adjective 'impatient' dictates the 'e'. You can use 'impatiemment' in a wide range of registers, from professional emails ('J'attends impatiemment votre retour') to more sophisticated literary analysis. You are also able to recognize when the adverb is used for stylistic emphasis at the beginning of a sentence ('Impatiemment, la foule attendait l'ouverture des portes'). At this level, you should also be able to compare it with other adverbs like 'hâtivement' or 'nerveusement' to choose the precise word for your context. Your pronunciation should accurately reflect the /amɑ̃/ ending despite the spelling.

At the C1 level, your use of 'impatiemment' should be effortless and contextually precise. You are aware of the rhythmic qualities it brings to a sentence. You might use it to create a sense of mounting tension in a narrative or to convey a subtle sense of social pressure in a formal correspondence. You understand the historical and linguistic reasons for its formation and can explain the rule to others. You are also capable of identifying its use in classical French literature, where it might be used to describe the 'impatience' of the heart or the soul. You can distinguish between the literal waiting and the metaphorical 'impatience' of a desire or a project. Your mastery of this word includes knowing when not to use it to avoid adverbial overload in a text.

At the C2 level, you use 'impatiemment' with the nuance of a native speaker. You are sensitive to its placement and how that placement shifts the focus of the sentence. You might use it in complex sentence structures involving multiple clauses, ensuring it modifies the correct action. You can use it in ironic or humorous ways, or to describe very specific psychological states. You are also fully aware of its synonyms and can switch between 'impatiemment', 'avec une impatience fébrile', and 'non sans impatience' to achieve exactly the right tone and register. Your command of the word extends to its role in the broader system of French morphology and phonology, and you can use it as a benchmark for understanding other complex adverbial forms.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

impatiemment in 30 Seconds

Impatiemment is a French adverb meaning 'impatiently' or 'eagerly'.
It is formed from the adjective 'impatient' by adding the suffix '-emment'.
Despite the 'e' spelling, the suffix is pronounced as /amɑ̃/.
It commonly modifies the verb 'attendre' (to wait) in many contexts.

The French adverb impatiemment is a vital tool for expressing a state of eager anticipation, restlessness, or a lack of patience while waiting for an event, a person, or a result. At its core, it translates to 'impatiently' in English, but its usage in French often carries a slightly more emotive weight, frequently appearing in literary contexts as well as everyday conversation to signal a high level of emotional investment in the future. The word is derived from the adjective impatient. In French grammar, adverbs formed from adjectives ending in -ent typically replace that ending with -emment. This is a crucial phonetic and orthographic point: even though it is spelled with an 'e', it is pronounced like an 'a' (/amɑ̃/). When you use impatiemment, you are describing the manner in which an action is performed. It usually follows the verb it modifies. For instance, if you are waiting for a letter, you don't just wait; you wait impatiemment. This adds a layer of anxiety or excitement to the verb attendre.

Grammatical Category: Adverb of manner

Morphology: Formed from the feminine/root adjective 'impatient' + the suffix '-emment'.

Pronunciation Note: The 'e' in -emment is pronounced /a/, making it sound like 'impati-a-ment'.

Elle attendait impatiemment le début du concert.

Les enfants ouvrent impatiemment leurs cadeaux de Noël.

Le public frappait impatiemment des pieds avant le spectacle.

Nous guettons impatiemment l'arrivée du printemps.

Il feuilletait impatiemment le catalogue en attendant son tour.

Using impatiemment correctly involves understanding its placement and its relationship with verbs. In French, adverbs of manner like this one generally follow the verb in simple tenses. For example, 'Je marche impatiemment.' In compound tenses like the passé composé, short or common adverbs often sit between the auxiliary verb and the past participle, but longer adverbs like impatiemment frequently follow the past participle for rhythmic balance. You would say 'J'ai attendu impatiemment' rather than 'J'ai impatiemment attendu,' though the latter is sometimes used for stylistic emphasis in formal writing. It is also important to note that impatiemment can be used to modify adjectives or other adverbs, though this is less common. You might see it in a sentence like 'Il est impatiemment attendu par ses fans' (He is impatiently awaited by his fans). Here, it qualifies the state of being awaited.

Placement with Simple Verbs: Directly after the verb: 'Il soupire impatiemment.'

Placement with Compound Tenses: Usually after the past participle: 'Nous avons espéré impatiemment.'

Emphasis: Can be placed at the beginning of a sentence for dramatic effect: 'Impatiemment, il attendait le signal.'

Elle trépignait impatiemment devant la porte close.

Les investisseurs surveillent impatiemment les cours de la bourse.

Le chien remuait la queue impatiemment à l'idée de sortir.

You will encounter impatiemment in a variety of settings, ranging from formal literature to daily news broadcasts and casual interactions. In literature, authors use it to convey the internal state of a character—their longing, their anxiety, or their eagerness. For example, in a classic novel, a hero might wait impatiemment for a reply from his beloved. In modern journalism, you might hear a reporter say that the public is impatiemment awaiting the government's decision on a new policy. It is also a staple in the workplace, particularly in emails where one might say, 'J'attends impatiemment votre retour' (I look forward impatiently/eagerly to your feedback). While 'eagerly' is a common translation in professional contexts, impatiemment retains that sense of 'cannot wait.' In spoken French, it's used when someone is visibly annoyed by a delay. If a train is late, a commuter might tell a friend over the phone, 'Tout le monde attend impatiemment sur le quai.'

Literature: Used to describe romantic yearning or suspenseful waiting.

Media: Common in headlines regarding highly anticipated movie releases or sports events.

Professional: A polite way to show enthusiasm for a project or meeting.

Le nouveau roman de cet auteur est impatiemment attendu par les critiques.

Les fans se pressaient impatiemment devant les grilles du stade.

The most frequent errors regarding impatiemment are orthographic and phonetic. Many learners struggle with the double 'm'. Because the suffix is -emment, it requires two 'm's. Another common spelling mistake is writing impatiamment with an 'a'. While adverbs like couramment (from courant) do use an 'a', impatiemment follows the spelling of its root adjective, impatient. Phonetically, learners often try to pronounce the 'e' as a closed 'e' (/e/) or an open 'e' (/ɛ/), but in this specific adverbial ending, it must be pronounced as /a/. Another mistake is using the adjective impatient where the adverb is required. For example, saying 'Il attend impatient' is incorrect; it must be 'Il attend impatiemment.' Conversely, don't use the adverb to describe a person directly; you can't say 'Il est impatiemment' to mean 'He is impatient.' You must say 'Il est impatient.'

Spelling Error: Writing 'impatiement' (missing an 'm') or 'impatiamment' (wrong vowel).

Pronunciation Error: Pronouncing the 'e' as /e/ instead of /a/.

Category Confusion: Using the adverb to describe a noun instead of a verb.

Incorrect: J'attends impatiamment ton appel. Correct: J'attends impatiemment ton appel.

Incorrect: Il est impatiemment. Correct: Il est impatient.

While impatiemment is a very versatile word, there are several alternatives depending on the nuance you wish to convey. If you want to emphasize a sense of speed or rush, you might use hâtivement (hastily). If the impatience is mixed with excitement or nervousness, fébrilement (feverishly) is a powerful choice. In more formal or literary settings, you might use the phrase avec impatience instead of the adverb. This is often preferred in high-level writing to avoid the repetitive use of adverbs ending in -ment. For example, 'Nous attendons impatiemment' can become 'Nous attendons avec impatience.' If you are describing someone who is waiting with a sense of anxiety, anxieusement could be more appropriate. Conversely, if the waiting is joyful, joyeusement or avec enthousiasme might fit better.

Avec impatience: A common prepositional phrase that is synonymous with the adverb.

Fébrilement: Used when the impatience is intense, almost like a fever or extreme excitement.

Vivement: Can mean 'sharply' or 'briskly', but in some contexts, it expresses a desire for something to happen quickly.

Elle cherchait ses clés fébrilement dans son sac.

Nous attendons avec impatience votre réponse.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The spelling rule that turns -ent into -emment was standardized in the 17th century, but the pronunciation had already shifted to /a/ much earlier.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɛ̃.pa.sja.mɑ̃/

US /ɛ̃.pa.sja.mɑ̃/

In French, the stress is generally on the final syllable: 'ment'.

Rhymes With

patiemment consciemment évidemment suffisamment couramment récemment prudemment méchamment

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 't' in '-ment'.
Pronouncing the 'e' in 'emment' like the 'e' in 'bed'.
Failing to nasalize the 'in' at the start.
Pronouncing 'ti' as 'tee' instead of 'see'.
Mixing it up with 'impatiemment' vs 'impatiamment' sounds.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize because it looks like 'impatiently'.

Writing 4/5

Difficult due to the double 'm' and the 'e' vs 'a' rule.

Speaking 3/5

Requires practice for the nasal vowels and the 'e' as 'a' sound.

Listening 3/5

Can be confused with other adverbs ending in /amɑ̃/.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

impatient patience attendre maintenant vite

Learn Next

patiemment récemment évidemment couramment suffisamment

Advanced

fébrilement hâtivement promptement instamment ardemment

Grammar to Know

Adverb formation from -ent adjectives

prudent -> prudemment

Adverb formation from -ant adjectives

courant -> couramment

Placement of long adverbs in compound tenses

J'ai attendu impatiemment.

Invariability of adverbs

Elles attendent impatiemment (no 's' on adverb).

Pronunciation of -emment

évidemment (sounds like /amɑ̃/).

Examples by Level

J'attends impatiemment mon ami.

I am waiting impatiently for my friend.

Placement: After the verb 'attends'.

Il regarde impatiemment l'heure.

He looks impatiently at the time.

Modifies the verb 'regarde'.

Nous mangeons impatiemment le gâteau.

We eat the cake impatiently.

Describes the manner of eating.

Elle marche impatiemment dans la rue.

She walks impatiently in the street.

Adverb modifying 'marche'.

Tu attends impatiemment le bus ?

Are you waiting impatiently for the bus?

Question form with adverb.

Les enfants crient impatiemment.

The children shout impatiently.

Plural subject with adverb.

Il ouvre impatiemment sa lettre.

He opens his letter impatiently.

Describes the action of opening.

J'écoute impatiemment la musique.

I listen to the music impatiently.

Modifies 'écoute'.

Elle attendait impatiemment les vacances d'été.

She was waiting impatiently for the summer holidays.

Used with the imparfait tense.

Le chien attend impatiemment sa promenade.

The dog waits impatiently for its walk.

Describes a habitual action.

Ils ont ouvert impatiemment leurs cadeaux.

They opened their gifts impatiently.

Passé composé: adverb after the past participle.

Vous attendez impatiemment le train de midi.

You are waiting impatiently for the noon train.

Formal/plural 'vous'.

Je cherche impatiemment mes clés partout.

I am looking impatiently for my keys everywhere.

Modifies the search process.

Il tape impatiemment sur son clavier.

He types impatiently on his keyboard.

Physical action described by adverb.

Nous espérons impatiemment une réponse positive.

We are impatiently hoping for a positive answer.

Expresses a mental state.

Elle soupire impatiemment dans la file d'attente.

She sighs impatiently in the queue.

Audible expression of impatience.

Le public attendait impatiemment que le rideau se lève.

The audience was waiting impatiently for the curtain to rise.

Followed by a 'que' clause.

Il a parcouru impatiemment le journal ce matin.

He skimmed the newspaper impatiently this morning.

Compound tense usage.

Nous guettons impatiemment le moindre signe de changement.

We are impatiently watching for the slightest sign of change.

The verb 'guetter' implies focused waiting.

Elle feuilletait impatiemment le menu du restaurant.

She was leafing through the restaurant menu impatiently.

Imparfait used for descriptive action.

Les investisseurs surveillent impatiemment les nouvelles économiques.

Investors are impatiently monitoring economic news.

Professional context.

Il trépignait impatiemment avant son entretien d'embauche.

He was stamping his feet impatiently before his job interview.

Verb 'trépigner' often goes with this adverb.

J'attends impatiemment de pouvoir te revoir bientôt.

I am impatiently waiting to be able to see you again soon.

Followed by an infinitive construction.

Le pays attendait impatiemment les résultats de l'élection.

The country was waiting impatiently for the election results.

Collective noun 'le pays' as subject.

Impatiemment, il faisait les cent pas dans le couloir.

Impatiently, he was pacing up and down the hallway.

Adverb at the start for emphasis.

Le projet est impatiemment attendu par toute l'équipe.

The project is impatiently awaited by the whole team.

Passive voice construction.

Elle a rejeté impatiemment les excuses de son collègue.

She impatiently rejected her colleague's excuses.

Shows a sharp, sudden action.

Ils ont scruté impatiemment l'horizon à la recherche du navire.

They impatiently scanned the horizon looking for the ship.

High-level vocabulary: 'scruter'.

Le public manifestait impatiemment son mécontentement par des sifflets.

The public impatiently showed its dissatisfaction with whistles.

Describes the manner of a manifestation.

Nous attendons impatiemment que vous nous fassiez part de votre décision.

We are impatiently waiting for you to let us know your decision.

Subjunctive used after 'que'.

Il secouait impatiemment la tête devant tant d'incompétence.

He was impatiently shaking his head at such incompetence.

Physical gesture of impatience.

La jeune femme attendait impatiemment l'arrivée du facteur.

The young woman was impatiently waiting for the mailman's arrival.

Classic narrative sentence.

Elle attendait impatiemment le dénouement de cette affaire complexe.

She was impatiently waiting for the resolution of this complex matter.

Abstract noun 'dénouement'.

Le poète guettait impatiemment l'inspiration qui tardait à venir.

The poet was impatiently watching for the inspiration that was slow to come.

Personification of inspiration.

Il a consulté impatiemment sa montre à plusieurs reprises durant le discours.

He impatiently checked his watch several times during the speech.

Adverb modifying 'consulted'.

La foule s'était massée impatiemment aux abords du palais présidentiel.

The crowd had gathered impatiently around the presidential palace.

Plus-que-parfait with reflexive verb.

L'enfant attendait impatiemment que sonne l'heure de la récréation.

The child was impatiently waiting for the recess bell to ring.

Inverted subject in the 'que' clause.

Il feuilletait impatiemment les pages, cherchant une information précise.

He was leafing through the pages impatiently, looking for specific information.

Participial phrase added.

Nous attendons impatiemment de voir comment la situation va évoluer.

We are impatiently waiting to see how the situation will evolve.

Nuanced future outlook.

Elle a réagi impatiemment à la moindre critique de son travail.

She reacted impatiently to the slightest criticism of her work.

Describes a psychological reaction.

L'opinion publique, impatiemment sollicitée, finit par se prononcer.

Public opinion, impatiently solicited, finally voiced its view.

Adverb modifying a past participle used as an adjective.

Il attendait impatiemment l'instant où il pourrait enfin s'échapper.

He was impatiently waiting for the moment when he could finally escape.

Relative clause with 'où'.

La critique a accueilli impatiemment cette œuvre qui bouscule les codes.

Critics impatiently welcomed this work that challenges conventions.

Metaphorical use in artistic context.

Elle scrutait impatiemment les méandres de sa propre pensée.

She was impatiently scanning the twists and turns of her own thoughts.

Highly abstract and literary.

Il a balayé impatiemment l'argument d'un revers de main.

He impatiently brushed the argument aside with a wave of his hand.

Idiomatic expression 'revers de main'.

Le destin, qu'il attendait impatiemment, semblait enfin frapper à sa porte.

Destiny, which he had been waiting for impatiently, seemed to finally be knocking at his door.

Relative clause with 'que'.

Nous attendons impatiemment que la lumière soit faite sur cette ténébreuse affaire.

We are impatiently waiting for light to be shed on this dark affair.

Idiomatic use of 'lumière soit faite'.

Elle a attendu impatiemment, le cœur battant, que son nom soit appelé.

She waited impatiently, heart pounding, for her name to be called.

Parenthetical phrase 'le cœur battant'.

Common Collocations

attendre impatiemment

regarder impatiemment

ouvrir impatiemment

soupirer impatiemment

trépigner impatiemment

attendu impatiemment

chercher impatiemment

écouter impatiemment

frapper impatiemment

feuilleter impatiemment

Common Phrases

J'attends impatiemment votre réponse.

— A standard professional or personal closing for a letter or email. It shows you are eager to hear back.

Dans l'attente de vous lire, j'attends impatiemment votre réponse.

Il attend impatiemment son tour.

— Describes someone waiting for their chance to do something. Common in clinics or game settings.

Le petit garçon attend impatiemment son tour pour le toboggan.

Elle regarde impatiemment par la fenêtre.

— Shows someone is expecting someone or something to arrive soon.

Dès qu'elle a entendu la voiture, elle a regardé impatiemment par la fenêtre.

Nous attendons impatiemment le week-end.

— A very common expression of relief and anticipation for the end of the work week.

Après cette semaine difficile, nous attendons impatiemment le week-end.

Le public attend impatiemment le début du spectacle.

— Used to describe the atmosphere in a theater or concert hall.

Les lumières s'éteignent et le public attend impatiemment le début du spectacle.

Il a ouvert impatiemment le courrier.

— Describes the act of quickly opening mail, usually because of excitement or anxiety.

Pensant avoir reçu son diplôme, il a ouvert impatiemment le courrier.

Ils attendent impatiemment le retour du printemps.

— A poetic way to talk about the changing seasons and the desire for warmer weather.

Pendant l'hiver froid, ils attendent impatiemment le retour du printemps.

Elle soupire impatiemment devant l'ordinateur.

— Describes frustration with technology or a slow internet connection.

L'image ne chargeait pas et elle soupira impatiemment devant l'ordinateur.

J'attends impatiemment de tes nouvelles.

— A warm way to tell a friend you want to hear from them soon.

Donne-moi un signe de vie, j'attends impatiemment de tes nouvelles.

Il trépigne impatiemment d'envie.

— An idiomatic way to say someone is dying to do something.

Il trépigne impatiemment d'envie de conduire sa nouvelle voiture.

Often Confused With

impatiemment vs impatiemment vs impatiamment

The latter is a common spelling mistake. French only uses -amment for adjectives ending in -ant.

impatiemment vs impatiemment vs patiemment

Opposite meanings. One is restless, the other is calm.

impatiemment vs impatiemment vs hâtivement

Impatiemment is about the feeling of waiting; hâtivement is about doing something too fast.

Idioms & Expressions

"attendre impatiemment comme le Messie"

— To wait for something with extreme anticipation, as if it were a savior.

Cette réforme est attendue impatiemment comme le Messie.

informal/figurative

"brûler impatiemment d'envie"

— To be burning with desire to do something.

Elle brûle impatiemment d'envie de lui dire la vérité.

literary

"compter impatiemment les jours"

— To be counting down the days until an event.

Je compte impatiemment les jours avant mon départ.

neutral

"guetter impatiemment l'occasion"

— To look out for an opportunity with great eagerness.

Le lion guettait impatiemment l'occasion d'attaquer.

neutral

"ronger impatiemment son frein"

— To be forced to wait while being extremely impatient (literally 'to gnaw on one's bit').

Bloqué dans les bouchons, il rongeait impatiemment son frein.

idiomatic

"attendre impatiemment au tournant"

— To wait for someone to make a mistake (negative impatience).

Ses rivaux l'attendent impatiemment au tournant.

informal

"battre impatiemment le pavé"

— To walk around restlessly while waiting for something.

Il battait impatiemment le pavé devant la mairie.

literary

"attendre impatiemment de pied ferme"

— To wait for someone/something with resolve and eagerness.

Nous les attendons impatiemment de pied ferme.

neutral

"avoir impatiemment hâte"

— A redundant but common way to say one is very eager.

J'ai impatiemment hâte de te voir.

informal

"trépigner impatiemment de joie"

— To jump up and down with impatient joy.

L'enfant trépignait impatiemment de joie à l'idée du zoo.

neutral

Easily Confused

impatiemment vs récemment

Similar ending and also spelled with 'e' but pronounced 'a'.

Récemment means 'recently', referring to time, while impatiemment refers to manner.

J'ai récemment vu ce film que j'attendais impatiemment.

impatiemment vs prudemment

Same suffix rule from 'prudent'.

Prudemment means 'carefully/prudently'.

Il avance prudemment alors qu'il attend impatiemment d'arriver.

impatiemment vs instamment

Sounds very similar at the end.

Instamment means 'urgently/earnestly', often used with requests.

Je vous prie instamment de répondre impatiemment.

impatiemment vs suffisamment

Same ending sound but different spelling (-amment).

Suffisamment means 'enough/sufficiently'.

Il a suffisamment attendu impatiemment.

impatiemment vs évidemment

Very common adverb with the same -emment ending.

Évidemment means 'obviously'.

Évidemment, il attendait impatiemment son cadeau.

Sentence Patterns

Je + verb + impatiemment.

Je mange impatiemment.

Il + verb + impatiemment + noun.

Il attend impatiemment le bus.

Nous + verb (passé composé) + impatiemment.

Nous avons attendu impatiemment.

S + verb + impatiemment + de + infinitive.

Elle attend impatiemment de partir.

Impatiemment, + S + verb.

Impatiemment, ils espéraient un signe.

Noun + être + attendu + impatiemment.

La réponse est attendue impatiemment.

S + verb + impatiemment + que + subjunctive.

J'attends impatiemment qu'il vienne.

Adverbial phrase + impatiemment + participle.

Une foule impatiemment massée devant la porte.

Word Family

Nouns

impatience (f) - lack of patience

patient (m/f) - a person receiving medical treatment

Verbs

impatienter - to make someone lose patience

s'impatienter - to become impatient

Adjectives

impatient - lacking patience

patient - having patience

patience

passion

passif

compatible

compatir

How to Use It

frequency

Common in written and spoken French.

Common Mistakes

Writing 'impatiamment' → impatiemment
Learners use 'a' because they hear /a/, but the spelling follows the root 'impatient' (with an 'e').
Writing 'impatiement' → impatiemment
Forgetting the second 'm' is a very common error in adverb formation.
Pronouncing the 'e' as /e/ → /amɑ̃/ at the end
The 'e' in -emment is an exception and must be pronounced like 'a'.
Using 'impatiemment' as an adjective → Il est impatient.
You cannot say 'Il est impatiemment'. Adverbs modify actions, not states of being with 'être'.
Placing it before the verb → Il attend impatiemment.
In French, adverbs usually follow the verb, unlike in English where 'He impatiently waits' is common.

Tips

The Double M Rule

Always remember the double 'm'. If you see -ment at the end of a long adverb derived from an adjective ending in -nt, it almost always has two 'm's.

The 'A' Sound

Don't let the 'e' fool you. Pronounce the 'e' in -emment exactly like the 'a' in 'papa'. It is a common trap for English speakers.

Adverb vs Adjective

Use 'impatient' (adj) for 'He is impatient' and 'impatiemment' (adv) for 'He waits impatiently'. Adverbs never change for gender or number.

Variety in Writing

If you use 'impatiemment' in one sentence, try 'avec impatience' or 'avoir hâte de' in the next to keep your writing interesting.

Positive vs Negative

Use it to show you are excited (positive) or annoyed (negative). The context and your tone of voice will clarify which one you mean.

Root Word

Knowing 'patient' and 'impatient' makes learning 'impatiemment' much easier. They all belong to the same family of 'enduring'.

Word Ending Clues

When you hear /amɑ̃/ at the end of a word, it's likely an adverb. Context like 'waiting' almost guarantees it's 'impatiemment' or 'patiemment'.

Literature Hack

In older books, 'impatiemment' is often used to describe romantic tension. Look for it in scenes where letters are being delivered.

Business Etiquette

Using 'impatiemment' in a follow-up email shows you are keen on the project. It's a great way to sound professional yet enthusiastic.

Daily Usage

Try saying 'J'attends impatiemment le dîner' tonight. Small daily repetitions help cement the spelling and pronunciation.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine an 'IM-PATIENT' person who 'EM-ails' you 'MENT-ally' every second. They wait IM-PATIE-MMENT.

Visual Association

Imagine a person looking at a clock while a giant letter 'M' is doubled in their eyes, representing the 'mm' in the word.

Word Web

attendre impatient impatience montre vite hâte retard e-m-m-e-n-t

Challenge

Try to use 'impatiemment' in three different contexts today: once about a person, once about a package, and once about a feeling.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin 'impatiens', composed of the prefix 'in-' (not) and 'patiens' (suffering, enduring). It entered Old French as 'impacience' and later developed the adverbial form.

Original meaning: The root 'pati' means to suffer or endure. Thus, 'impatiemment' literally means 'in a manner of not enduring' or 'not suffering the delay'.

Romance (Latin root)

Cultural Context

Be careful using it with a boss; while it shows enthusiasm, if used too often, it might sound like you are pressuring them.

English speakers often translate this as 'eagerly' in positive contexts and 'impatiently' in negative ones. In French, 'impatiemment' covers both.

The phrase 'J'attends impatiemment' is a common trope in French chanson (songs). Used in classic plays by Molière to show a character's comic frustration. Frequently appears in French movie subtitles for high-tension scenes.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Waiting for news

J'attends impatiemment tes nouvelles.
Nous attendons impatiemment le verdict.
Elle guette impatiemment le facteur.
On attend impatiemment la réponse.

At a restaurant

Le client regarde impatiemment le serveur.
Il attend impatiemment son plat.
Elle soupire impatiemment.
Ils frappent impatiemment sur la table.

Transportation

Les voyageurs attendent impatiemment sur le quai.
Il regarde impatiemment l'affichage des trains.
Elle marche impatiemment dans l'aéroport.
On attend impatiemment le décollage.

Holidays and Events

Les enfants attendent impatiemment Noël.
Je prépare impatiemment mes valises.
Nous attendons impatiemment la fête.
Il compte impatiemment les jours.

Workplace

J'attends impatiemment votre compte-rendu.
Il surveille impatiemment ses e-mails.
Nous attendons impatiemment la réunion.
Elle cherche impatiemment une promotion.

Conversation Starters

"Qu'est-ce que tu attends impatiemment en ce moment ?"

"Est-ce que tu as déjà attendu un colis impatiemment ?"

"Pourquoi les enfants attendent-ils impatiemment leur anniversaire ?"

"Est-ce que tu regardes impatiemment ta montre pendant les cours ?"

"Quel film attends-tu le plus impatiemment cette année ?"

Journal Prompts

Décris une situation où tu as dû attendre impatiemment quelqu'un qui était en retard.

Écris sur un événement futur que tu attends impatiemment et explique pourquoi.

Est-ce que tu penses qu'attendre impatiemment est une bonne chose ou un défaut ?

Raconte un souvenir d'enfance où tu attendais impatiemment le matin de Noël.

Imagine que tu es un explorateur qui attend impatiemment de découvrir une nouvelle terre.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

This is a historical quirk of French phonetics. In the suffixes -emment and -amment, the nasal vowel was originally different, but over centuries, they merged into the sound /amɑ̃/. The spelling 'e' was kept to show the link to the original adjective (impatient).

No. 'Impatiemment' is an adverb, which modifies verbs. To describe yourself, you must use the adjective: 'Je suis impatient'.

Neither is 'better', but 'avec impatience' is often used in formal letters to sound more elegant, while 'impatiemment' is more direct and common in speech.

Usually right after the verb. 'Il attend impatiemment.' In compound tenses like 'J'ai attendu', it usually goes at the end: 'J'ai attendu impatiemment'.

Not at all. It can mean 'eagerly' when waiting for something good, like a holiday or a friend.

It has two. All adverbs ending in -emment or -amment have a double 'm'.

Yes, 'J'attends impatiemment votre réponse' is a polite and enthusiastic way to close a professional email.

'Vite' means 'fast' (speed), while 'impatiemment' describes the emotional state of the person doing the action.

Mostly with verbs of waiting, looking, or reacting. You wouldn't usually say 'I sleep impatiently'.

Yes, it is very common and a key word for A2/B1 level learners to know.