5.6: Adverbs
- Page ID
- 415645
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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.

