Adverbs

Spanish adverbs are usually formed by adding -mente to an adjective. If there is a difference between the masculine and feminine form of the adjective, -mente is added to the latter.

From Adjective to Adverb

Adjective - Adverb

tranquilo - tranquilamente

puntual   - puntualmente

último    - últimamente

admirable - admirablemente

ligero    - ligeramente

Making adverbs with regular adjectives ending in -o

  
Eng. Adj.= Span. Adj.
  
Feminine form
  
Span. Adverb =Eng. Adverb


  
necessary = necesario
  
necesaria
  
necesariamente = necessarily


  
lazy = perezoso
  
perezosa
  
perezosamente = lazily


  
quick = rápido
  
rápida
  
rápidamente = quickly


  
sincere = sincero
  
sincera
  
sinceramente = sincerely

Making Adverbs with adjectives Ending in - e

   
Eng. Adjective
   
Span. Adjective
   
Span. Adverb
   
English Adverb


   
happy
   
alegre
   
alegremente
   
happily


   
diligent
   
diligente
   
diligentemente
   
diligently


   
sweet
   
dulce
   
dulcemente
   
sweetly


   
strong
   
fuerte
   
fuertemente
   
strongly


   
brillant
   
brilliante
   
brillantemente
   
brillantly


   
poor
   
pobre
   
pobremente
   
poorly


   
sad
   
triste
   
tristemente
   
sadly

Making Adverbs with Adjectives Ending in a Consonant

   
Eng. Adjective
   
Span. Adjective
   
Span. Adverb
   
English Adverb


   
courteous
   
cortés
   
cortésmente
   
courteously


   
weak
   
débil
   
débilmente
   
weakly


   
easy
   
fácil
   
fácilmente
   
easily


   
happy
   
feliz
   
felizmente
   
happily

Adverbs written from adjectives with accent marks keep the accent marks.

   
Paco es débil.
   
Paco is weak.


   
Paco canta débilmente.
   
Paco sings weakly.


   
David es rápido.
   
David is quick.


   
David corre rápidamente.
   
David runs quickly.

Words which can be used as adjectives and adverbs

   
mucho
   
much (a lot)


   
poco (un poco)
   
little (a little)
 

   
demasiado
   
too much
 

   
tanto
   
so much
 

   
más
   
more
 

   
menos
   
less
  

Adverbs of time:

   
ahora
   
now


   
anoche
   
last night


   
antes
   
before


   
aún
   
even, yet


   
ayer
   
yesterday


   
entonces
   
then


   
luego
   
then, later


   
mañana
   
tomorrow


   
nunca
   
never


   
pronto
   
soon


   
siempre
   
always


   
tarde
   
late


   
temprano
   
early


   
todavía
   
still, yet

Placement of adverbs of time:

   
él todavía habla.
   
He still speaks.


   
él habla todavía.
   
He speaks still.


   
Siempre corremos en el parque.
   
We always run in the park.


   
Corremos siempre en el parque.
   
We always run in the park.

Adverbs depicting manner:

   
Ramón come rápidamente.
   
Ramón eats quickly.


   
Adela canta tristemente.
   
Adela sings sadly.


   
Nyscelle baila felizmente.
   
Nyscelle dances happily.


   
Gonzalo habla español perfectamente.
   
Gonzalo speaks Spanish perfectly.

Adverbs that enhance adjectives and adverbs:

   
muy
   
very


   
extremadamente
   
extremely


   
totalmente
   
totally


   
completamente
   
completely


   
sumamente
   
extremely

Using multiple adverbs in one sentence:

   
Marco trabaja rápida y diligentemente.
   
Marco works quickly and diligently.


   
Laura juega fútbol inteligente y fuertemente.
   
Laura plays soccer intelligently and powerfully.


   
El policía obra justa y lealmente.
   
The policeman serves justly and loyally.


   
Los padres ayudan generosa y responsablemente.
   
The parents help generously and responsibly.