Method for adaptively estimating a current loading (M C) of soot of a particulate filter having at its terminals (211, 212) a differential pressure and positioned in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine, the estimation method being implemented by a computer associated: ▪ with a differential sensor suitable for measuring the differential pressure, and; ▪ with a means suitable for determining a volume flow rate of the exhaust gases in the exhaust line, the estimation method comprising: ▪ a step of selecting a weight from a first mapping of initial residual soot (m R0, m R1, m R2) corresponding to an engine operating mode; ▪ a first step of determining the volume flow rate, ▪ a second step of measuring the differential pressure, characterized in that the estimation method comprises subsequent steps consisting in: ▪ selecting a first differential pressure modeled (p R0, p R1, p R2) from a second prerecorded mapping making it possible to establish a modeled differential pressure value (p R0, p R1, p R2) for a given weight of soot and a given exhaust flow rate; ▪ comparing the determined exhaust volume flow rate with a prerecorded exhaust volume flow rate threshold (Q 0, Q 1, Q 2) and corresponding to an engine operating mode, when the determined exhaust volume flow rate is greater than the threshold, the method also comprising: o a step of computing a first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2), for said determined volume flow rate, between the measured differential pressure and the modeled differential pressure (p R0, p R1, p R2); o a step of computing a second deviation (ΔR0, ΔR1, ΔR2) obtained by the product of the first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2) with a prerecorded gain (K 0, K 1, K 2) and corresponding to an engine operating mode. ▪ with a differential sensor suitable for measuring the differential pressure, and; ▪ with a means suitable for determining a volume flow rate of the exhaust gases in the exhaust line, ▪ a step of selecting a weight from a first mapping of initial residual soot (m R0, m R1, m R2) corresponding to an engine operating mode; ▪ a first step of determining the volume flow rate, ▪ a second step of measuring the differential pressure, ▪ selecting a first differential pressure modeled (p R0, p R1, p R2) from a second prerecorded mapping making it possible to establish a modeled differential pressure value (p R0, p R1, p R2) for a given weight of soot and a given exhaust flow rate; ▪ comparing the determined exhaust volume flow rate with a prerecorded exhaust volume flow rate threshold (Q 0, Q 1, Q 2) and corresponding to an engine operating mode, when the determined exhaust volume flow rate is greater than the threshold, the method also comprising: o a step of computing a first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2), for said determined volume flow rate, between the measured differential pressure and the modeled differential pressure (p R0, p R1, p R2); o a step of computing a second deviation (ΔR0, ΔR1, ΔR2) obtained by the product of the first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2) with a prerecorded gain (K 0, K 1, K 2) and corresponding to an engine operating mode. o a step of computing a first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2), for said determined volume flow rate, between the measured differential pressure and the modeled differential pressure (p R0, p R1, p R2); o a step of computing a second deviation (ΔR0, ΔR1, ΔR2) obtained by the product of the first deviation (Δ 0, Δ 1, Δ 2) with a prerecorded gain (K 0, K 1, K 2) and corresponding to an engine operating mode.