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5.6: Adverbs

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    173580
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    Adverbs

    Adverbs are words that describe verbs. In other words, they add information to verbs.  In English we often add the ending LY to an adjective to form an adverb. In Spanish, we do this by adding MENTE to the feminine form of an adjective.  If the adjective has a written accent mark in Spanish, the adverb will have one as well.

    For example

              adjective                 adverb                              translation

              tranquila                 tranquilamente                  calmly

              inteligente               inteligentemente                intelligently

              atlética                    atléticamente                    athletically

              rápida                     rápidamente                      rapidly

    Below are some common adjectives that we can use to form adverbs.

    Spanish                  English

    aceptable                aceptable

    agradecido              thankful

    artístico                   artistic

    atlético                    athletic

    cariñoso                  affectionate

    competitivo             competitive

    cuidadoso               careful

    despacio                 slow

    diferente                 diferente

    energético               energetic

    entusiasmado          excited

    esencial                  essential

    eterno                     endless

    excesivo                 excessive

    fuerte                      strong, loud

    insoportable            unbearable

    inteligente               intelligent

    optimista                 optimistic

    paciente                  patient

    pesimista                pessimistic

    prudente                 careful

    soportable               bearable

    tranquilo                 calm

    urgente                   urgent

    If two adverbs are used, the MENTE is only added to the second one.  In this case, it is necessary to use the feminine form of the first adverb followed by the adverb form of the second.

    For example

              La profesora habla energética y entusiasmadamente.

              El estudiante responde tranquila y cuidadosamente.

    Some adverbs are not formed in this way.  These must be memorized and used as they are written below.

              bastante                 quite

              bien                        good

              casi                        almost

              demasiado              too

              mal                         badly

              mejor                      better

              más                        more

              mucho                    a lot

              muy                        very

              nada                       never

              nunca                     never

              peor                       worse

              poco                       little

              siempre                  always

              tan                         so

              tanto                       so many

              todo                        all

     

    Adverbs do not change in gender and number in Spanish. Remember that adverbs add information about the verb.   For example

              Ella canta poco.                  She sings a little.  This sentence tells us how much she sings. Poco is the adverb.

              Ustedes nunca bailan.         You all never dance.  This sentence tells us that the subjects do not dance. Nunca is the adverb.

    In both of these sentences we are adding information to the verbs, not the subjects, so we do not change gender and number with adverbs.

    With practice, adverbs are useful and fun. So, let's practice.                                                              

    Prácticas.

    A. Cambia los siguientes adjetivos to adverbios.

           adjective            feminine form of adjective            adverb

    competitivo        competitiva                               competitivamente

    inteligente          inteligente                                inteligentemente

    1.     artístico

    2.     paciente

    3.     aceptable

    4.     rápido

    5.     atlético

    6.     eterno

    7.     competitivo

    8.     diferente

    9.     cuidadoso

    10. fiel

     

    B. Translate the following adjectives into Spanish.

                  1. artistically

                  2. quickly

                  3. slowly

                  4. essentially

                  5. carefully

                  6. good

                  7. worse

                  8. better

                  9. never

                  10. always

                  11. more

                  12.all

                  13. almost

                  14. a lot

                  15. little

    C.  Traduce las siguientes oraciones al español.

    1.     They run quickly.

     

    2.     We study intelligently.

     

    3.     You (fam, singular) work urgently.

     

    4.     She thinks artistically.

     

    5.     They think optimisticamente.

     

    6.     She runs competitively.

     

    7.     You (form., plural) sing loudly.

     

    8.     He never reads.

     

    9.     They always think.

     

    10. We study carefully.

     

    D. What is an adverb?  How do we form them in English? How do we form them in Spanish? In which language is it easier to form an adverb?  Give examples of three adverbs in Spanish.

     


    5.6: Adverbs is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.