Adverbios

What is an adverb?

These words describe how actions are done. For example,

She understood the explanation.

She quickly understood the explanation.

The adverb quickly is giving you information about how the action of understanding was done by her.

Also, an adverb can precise the meaning of an adjective. For example,

She is calm.

She is very calm.

Very makes the adjective calm stronger, right?

How can you form an adverb?

It is a simple process. Many adverbs are formed by adding a suffix (–mente). You need to add this suffix to the feminine form of the adjective.  We are going to see this process following the next steps with an example. Are you ready?

1. Quickly is an adverb. The adverbs in English have the suffix –ly (not in all cases). Then, if you remove the suffix –ly, which word do you have?

Quick

2.How can you translate quick into Spanish?

Rápido

3.Rápido is an adjective and, for that reason, it has a genre. Is this genre masculine or feminine in rápido?

Masculine

4.Turn the adjective into feminine.

Rápida

5.Now add the suffix –mente.

Rápidamente

And rápidamente means quickly.

Do you get it? Let’s practice with some adjectives more. I am going to give you the English adjective and you need to create the Spanish adverb related to each English adjective.

-Slow

-Sweet

-Clear

-Serious

-Strict

-Immediate

-Strong

-Happy

-Secure

-Stiff, rigid

-Cold

-Kind

I would like to remind you that adverbs are “palabras invariables”; therefore, they haven’t got any genre or number suffixes.

I hope it helps. You will find the solution at the end of this post and we will continue to talk a little bit more about adverbs in the next one. Have a lovely day!

Letras en Español – Ms. Riesco ©

SOLUCIÓN

-Slow means lento (masculine). The feminine is lenta. Lenta + -mente = lentamente.

-Sweet means dulce (masculine and feminine). Dulce + -mente = dulcemente.

-Clear means claro (masculine). The feminine is clara. Clara + -mente = claramente.

-Serious means serio (masculine). The feminine is seria. Seria + -mente = seriamente.

-Strict means estricto (masculine). The feminine is estricta. Estricta + -mente = estrictamente.

-Immediate means inmediato (masculine). The feminine is inmediata. Inmediata + -mente = inmediatamente.

-Strong means fuerte (same for masculine and feminine). Fuerte + -mente = fuertemente.

-Happy means feliz (same for masculine and feminine). Feliz + -mente = felizmente.

-Secure means seguro (masculine). The feminine is segura. Segura + -mente = seguramente.

-Stiff, rigid means rígido. The feminine is rígida. Rígida + -mente = rígidamente.

-Cold means frío (masculine). The feminine is fría. Fría + -mente = fríamente.

-Kind means amable (same for masculine and feminine). Amable + -mente = amablemente.