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5.6: Adverbs

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    415645

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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.


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