Qualifying Statements in French: Using 'en général', 'surtout' and 'avoir tendance à'
Learn to soften and qualify claims in French with en général, le plus souvent, surtout and avoir tendance à, so you can say things like 'I mostly agree' without sounding absolute.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
French speakers often avoid flat, absolute statements. Instead of saying je suis d'accord ('I agree') or c'est vrai ('that's true'), they add qualifiers that show how general, frequent or partial their claim is. This lesson teaches four practical tools: en général and généralement ('in general'), le plus souvent and la plupart du temps ('most of the time'), surtout ('mainly, especially') and avoir tendance à ('to tend to'). These are not vague filler words; each one changes the scope of your statement, and choosing the right one is a matter of meaning, not just politeness.
By the end, you can…
- qualify a general statement with en général or généralement.
- say that something happens most of the time using le plus souvent or la plupart du temps.
- use surtout to single out the main case or reason.
- describe a tendency with avoir tendance à + infinitive.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
En général, je suis d'accord avec toi.
In general, I agree with you.
ahn zhay-nay-RAL, zhuh swee dah-KUHR ah-vek twah
En général opens the sentence and frames the whole opinion as a general rule, leaving room for exceptions.
Le plus souvent, je travaille chez moi.
Most of the time, I work from home.
luh ploo soo-VAHN, zhuh tra-VYE shay mwah
Le plus souvent describes frequency: it happens on most occasions, but not always. La plupart du temps is a close synonym.
J'aime surtout les films français.
I mainly like French films.
zhem su-TOO lay feelm frahn-SEH
Surtout highlights the main element in a group. Position it directly before the word it emphasizes.
Elle a tendance à exagérer.
She tends to exaggerate.
el ah tahn-DAHNS ah eg-za-zhay-RAY
Avoir tendance à + infinitive expresses a recurring tendency, not a one-time action.
Je suis plutôt d'accord, mais pas sur tout.
I'm mostly in agreement, but not on everything.
zhuh swee ploo-TOH dah-KUHR, may pah syr too
Plutôt before an adjective softens it to 'rather, mostly'. It is the natural way to say 'I mostly agree'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
These qualifiers usually sit at the start of a sentence or directly before the word they limit. En général and généralement open the statement: En général, les Français dînent tard. Le plus souvent and la plupart du temps do the same for frequency: La plupart du temps, je prends le train. Surtout goes right before the key element: Je bois surtout du thé. Avoir tendance à is a fixed structure followed by an infinitive: Nous avons tendance à oublier les détails. Notice that the qualifier changes the scope of the claim, not its politeness level.
When to use it
Use en général when you state a broad rule that may have exceptions: En général, je me couche tôt. Use le plus souvent or la plupart du temps when you mean 'on most occasions': Le plus souvent, elle répond vite. Use surtout to single out the main case, reason or preference: J'ai aimé le film, surtout la fin. Use avoir tendance à for habits and tendencies you observe in yourself or others: J'ai tendance à parler vite. In conversation, plutôt before an adjective is very common for partial agreement: C'est plutôt vrai. Avoid stacking several qualifiers in one short sentence; one is usually enough.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu es d'accord avec le nouveau projet ?
Do you agree with the new project?tew ay dah-KUHR ah-vek luh noo-VOH pro-ZHAYEn général, oui, mais j'ai tendance à être prudent.
In general, yes, but I tend to be cautious.ahn zhay-nay-RAL wee, may zhe tahn-DAHNS ah et-ru prew-DAHNLe plus souvent, les gens sont plutôt contents.
Most of the time, people are rather happy.luh ploo soo-VAHN, lay zhan son ploo-TOH kohn-TAHNSurtout les jeunes, je trouve.
Especially young people, I think.su-TOO lay zhun, zhuh troovA little context goes a long way
In everyday French conversation, unqualified statements can sound blunt or overconfident, so speakers frequently add en général, plutôt or avoir tendance à to signal that they are describing a pattern rather than an absolute truth. This is especially noticeable in workplace discussions and polite disagreement. Register matters too: en général and le plus souvent work in both speech and writing, while plutôt is more conversational.
One thing to watch for
Using 'la plupart du temps' or 'le plus souvent' to mean 'in general' when describing a rule rather than a frequency.
Try this instead: Use en général or généralement for general rules, and reserve le plus souvent and la plupart du temps for frequency. Compare En général, les Français aiment débattre (a general tendency) with Le plus souvent, on dîne à vingt heures (what happens on most days).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Translate: 'I mostly agree, but not on everything.'
Show a sample answer
Je suis plutôt d'accord, mais pas sur tout.
Plutôt before d'accord softens the agreement to 'mostly'. Je suis en général d'accord is also possible, but it frames the statement as a general rule rather than a partial agreement.
2Which qualifier fits best: 'She tends to arrive late'?
Show a sample answer
Elle a tendance à arriver en retard.
Avoir tendance à + infinitive is the standard structure for a recurring tendency. Elle arrive souvent en retard is also correct, but it states frequency rather than tendency.
3Where does surtout go in 'I mainly drink tea'?
Show a sample answer
Je bois surtout du thé.
Surtout is placed directly before du thé, the element being singled out. Je bois du thé surtout would sound incomplete unless something follows, such as le matin.
Qualify first, then state: open with en général or le plus souvent for scope and frequency, place surtout before the key word, and use avoir tendance à + infinitive for tendencies. One qualifier per sentence is usually enough.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s French into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr