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The Spanish Adverb

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The Spanish Adverb
The natural position of the adverb is after the verb, as:

  • El convendría de muy buena gana: He would willingly consent.

But a great liberty is allowed in this respect, as:

  • Seguramente firmaría el endoso: He would certainly sign the endorsement.
  • Siempre se lo voy repitiendo: I keep always repeating it to him.

Mucho is the only adverb which does not generally admit of "very" for the superlative; it takes ísimo instead. However "muy mucho" is found, especially when used jocularly.

To the adverbs given in Lesson XXVIII - The Pronoun we add the following adverbs and adverbial locutions:

SoundÁ la noche - at night
SoundÁ manos llenas - profusely
SoundÁ ojos cegarritas - blindly
SoundÁ ojos vistas - obviously
SoundÁ pie juntillas - firmly
SoundÁ rienda suelta - recklessly
SoundÁ todo escape - at full speed
SoundAyer tarde or por la tarde - yesterday evening
SoundCuanto antes - as soon as possible
SoundDe buena, mala gana - willingly, unwillingly
SoundDe buenas á buenas - willingly
SoundDe buenas á primeras - at first sight, straight away
SoundDe hoy en quince - to-day fortnight
SoundHoy hace quince días - just a fortnight ago
SoundDe propósito - on purpose
SoundDe tiempo en tiempo - from time to time
SoundDía sí, y otro no - every other day
SoundMañana por la mañana - to-morrow morning
SoundNunca jamás - never--emphatic
SoundPara siempre jamás - for ever and ever
SoundPasado mañana - the day after to-morrow
SoundPor mal (bien) que - (however badly well)
SoundPor poco - nearly, but for little
SoundTal cual vez - once in a while

EXAMPLES:

  • Nunca jamás en la vida he hecho esto: Never in my life have I done this.
  • Por poco se rompió la cabeza: He nearly broke his head.
  • Por mal que le salga: Badly as it may turn out for him.

Adverbs ending in mente are often substituted by con with a noun, as:

  • Con lujo--lujosamente (luxuriantly).
  • Con dificultad--difícilmente (with difficulty).

This, of course, is found also in English but is more frequently done in Spanish.

Recientemente is generally abbreviated into recién before a past participle, as:

  • El recién llegado (the newly arrived).
  • El recién venido (the newly arrived).
  • El recién nacido (the new born).

Aquí, acá, allí, allá.

Aquí and allí are more circumscribed than acá and allá:

  • Venga acá cuando necesite algo: Come here when you want anything.
  • Allá, en su tierra esto se hace: There in your country this is done.
  • Aquí estoy y aquí me quedo: Here I am, and here I remain.
  • Ponga este paquete allí: Put this packet there.

Ahí--there (near the person spoken to[1]) also means your city, your country, there (in correspondence).

Footnote 1: Rule not strictly observed.

Si los precios ahí son razonables podrá hacerse mucho negocio: If prices over there are reasonable, a large business can be done.

Por ahí = about.

  • ¿Cuántos había? ¿40? Por ahí: How many were there? 40? About that number.

No is used often redundantly:

  • Mejor es sufrir que no hacer sufrir: It is better to suffer than to make others suffer.
  • Temo que no llegue demasiado temprano[2]: I am afraid he will arrive too early.
Footnote 2: This sentence is ambiguous, because it might mean the opposite: Temo que no llegue demasiado temprano sino demasiado tarde. The tone of the voice must be relied upon or a different construction must be used.
Venir - to comeSound

Pres. Part. Viniendo
Pres. Indic. Vengo, vienes, viene,--,--, vienen
Pres. Subj. Venga, vengas, venga, vengamos, vengáis, vengan
Imper. Mood Ven ...
Past Def. Vine, viniste, vino, vinimos, vinisteis, vinieron
Fut. Indic. Vendré, vendrás, vendrá, vendremos, vendréis, vendrán.

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