Describing Actions: Adverbs

In English, we usually add -ly to adjectives to turn them into adverbs, e.g, slow becomes slowly, etc.

In Spanish, we usually take the adjective, e.g., lento, change the final -o to -a and add on -mente, which gives us lentamente = slowly.

There are a few adverbs that don't follow this rule and must be memorised:

  • bastante -- quite
    demasiado -- too
    bien -- well
    mal -- badly
    mucho -- much, a lot
    muy -- very
    nunca -- never
    mejor -- better
    peor -- worse
    poco -- little
    siempre -- always

When two or more adverbs appear next to each other, all but the last adverb remains in the feminine singular adjective form, with the last adverb being the only one ending in -mente:

  • lenta y silenciosamente -- slowly and silently


Remember: regular adverbs are formed by adding -mente on to the feminine, singular form of the adjective.
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