Adverbio
From Latin adverbium, from Latin verbum (word)
The adverbio1 (adverb) is the word that modifies (completes or specifies the meaning of) a verbo (verb), an adjetivo (adjective), another adverbio, or a whole sentence.
Adverbs express circumstances of manner, time, place, quantity, doubt, affirmation, or negation. They are invariable — unlike nouns and adjectives, they do not change for gender or number.
Examples
| Sentence | Modifies |
|---|---|
| Él se levanta temprano. ("He gets up early.") | the verb |
| Eres muy rápida. ("You are very fast.") | the adjective |
| Come demasiado despacio. ("He eats too slowly.") | another adverb |
| Siempre llega con noticias desalentadoras. ("He always arrives with discouraging news.") | the sentence |
| Realmente me levanté muy cansado. ("I really got up very tired.") | the sentence |
When an adverbio refers to an adjective or another adverb, it intensifies its meaning.
Examples
| Sentence | Intensifies |
|---|---|
| Él está bastante enfermo. ("He is quite ill.") | bastante intensifies enfermo |
| Se sentó demasiado cerca del fuego. ("He sat too close to the fire.") | demasiado intensifies cerca |
| Ella baila muy bien. ("She dances very well.") | muy intensifies bien |
| La ciudad está densamente poblada. ("The city is densely populated.") | densamente intensifies poblada |
Some adverbs are formed by a phrase, called frases adverbiales (adverbial phrases). Examples: CARA A CARA ("face to face"), A SABIENDAS ("knowingly"), DE VEZ EN CUANDO ("from time to time"), SIN TON NI SON ("without rhyme or reason"), A REGAÑADIENTES ("reluctantly"), A PIE ("on foot"), DE PRISA ("in a hurry").
Examples
- Lo pisó a sabiendas.
("She stepped on it knowingly / on purpose.") - Ella bailaba sin ton ni son.
("She was dancing without rhyme or reason.") - Lavó el carro a regañadientes.
("He washed the car reluctantly.") - De vez en cuando paseaba por el parque.
("From time to time he would walk through the park.")
Latin adverbial phrases are common in Spanish (just as in English):
Examples
| Phrase | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| ex profeso | on purpose | Adverbio de modo |
| in fraganti | caught in the act | Adverbio de tiempo |
| ipso facto | immediately, at once | Adverbio de tiempo |
| verbi gratia (v.g.) | for example | Adverbio de afirmación |
| id est | that is | Adverbio de afirmación |
| ad hoc | for this, for this purpose | Adverbio de modo |
| quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.) | which was to be proved | Adverbio de afirmación |
Classification of adverbios
By their function, adverbs are divided into:
- Calificativos (qualifying) and
- Determinativos (determining).
1. Adverbio calificativo (Qualifying adverb)
Points out a quality of the verb's action.
Examples
- Que duermas bien.
("Sleep well.") - Raquel corre rápido.
("Raquel runs fast.")
Sometimes adjectives can function as adverbs. They act as adverbs when they do not change form and they are modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They act as adjectives when they accompany a noun and agree with it in gender and number.
Examples
| As adverbio | As adjetivo |
|---|---|
| Jorge se siente mal. ("Jorge feels bad.") | Ella dio un mal ejemplo. ("She set a bad example.") |
| Hoy comió mejor. ("Today he ate better.") | Mis ideas son mejores. ("My ideas are better.") |
| Él trabaja duro. ("He works hard.") | Se comió un pan duro. ("He ate a stale loaf of bread.") |
| Hay que hablar bajo. ("We have to speak quietly.") | Son techos bajos. ("They are low ceilings.") |
2. Adverbio determinativo (Determining adverb)
Determines the circumstance (time, place, manner, etc.) in which the verb's action takes place.
Examples
- Trabajamos ahí.
("We work there.") - Llegó temprano.
("He arrived early.") - Comió mucho.
("He ate a lot.") - Quizás vaya mañana.
("Maybe I'll go tomorrow.") - Nunca me visitas.
("You never visit me.") - Lo terminamos rápido.
("We finished it quickly.")
By meaning, adverbs are divided into:
1. Adverbios de lugar (Adverbs of place)
Point out the place where the verb's action happens. Common ones: AQUÍ ("here"), ALLÁ, ALLÍ, AHÍ ("there"), ACÁ ("here"), ATRÁS ("behind"), CERCA ("near"), LEJOS ("far"), FUERA, AFUERA ("outside"), DENTRO, ADENTRO ("inside"), ENCIMA ("on top"), DEBAJO ("underneath"), ARRIBA ("up"), ABAJO ("down"), DELANTE, ADELANTE ("in front"), ALREDEDOR ("around"), DETRÁS ("behind"), DÓNDE, DONDE ("where"), DONDEQUIERA ("wherever").
Examples
- Mario vive muy cerca.
("Mario lives very close.") - ¿Dónde trabajas?
("Where do you work?") - El niño se escondió debajo de la mesa.
("The boy hid under the table.") - El libro está encima del estante.
("The book is on top of the shelf.") - Ella está ahí.
("She is there.") - El espejo está detrás de ti.
("The mirror is behind you.")
2. Adverbios de tiempo (Adverbs of time)
Indicate when the action takes place. Common ones: MIENTRAS ("while"), LUEGO ("then"), TEMPRANO ("early"), HOY ("today"), ANTES ("before"), DESPUÉS ("after"), AÚN ("still"), PRONTO ("soon"), TARDE ("late"), YA ("already"), ENTONCES ("then"), MAÑANA ("tomorrow"), NUNCA, JAMÁS ("never"), SIEMPRE ("always"), CUÁNDO, CUANDO ("when"), AHORA ("now"), TODAVÍA ("still"), ALGUNA VEZ ("sometime"), AYER ("yesterday").
Examples
- Emilio llegó temprano a casa y yo llegué después.
("Emilio arrived home early and I arrived later.") - Mañana terminaremos la revisión de los textos.
("Tomorrow we'll finish reviewing the texts.")
Some adverbs ending in -mente (equivalent to the English -ly) do not indicate manner but order or time: PRIMERAMENTE ("firstly"), POSTERIORMENTE ("later"), ÚLTIMAMENTE ("lately"), ANTERIORMENTE ("previously"), etc.
Examples
- Últimamente me he sentido muy bien.
("Lately I've been feeling great.") - Anteriormente trotaba todas las mañanas.
("Previously I used to jog every morning.")
3. Adverbios de modo (Adverbs of manner)
Refer to the way the action is performed. Common ones: ASÍ ("like this"), BIEN ("well"), MAL ("badly"), ADREDE ("on purpose"), TAL, APENAS ("barely"), CÓMO, COMO ("how, as"), DEPRISA ("quickly"), and those ending in -mente (ALEGREMENTE, RÁPIDAMENTE, FELIZMENTE...). The -mente ending is roughly equivalent to English -ly.
Examples
- Haz el trabajo así.
("Do the work like this.") - Apenas pude comer.
("I barely managed to eat.") - Hizo la torta como decía la receta.
("She made the cake as the recipe said.") - ¿Cómo te va?
("How are you doing?") - Traduce perfectamente.
("He translates perfectly.") - Revisó el texto cuidadosamente.
("She reviewed the text carefully.")
There are also several frases adverbiales de modo: COMO SI NADA ("as if nothing"), A TONTAS Y A LOCAS ("haphazardly"), CARA A CARA ("face to face"), DE PRISA ("in a hurry"), SIN TON NI SON ("without rhyme or reason").
Examples
- Se encontraron cara a cara.
("They met face to face.") - Pamela se quedó como si nada.
("Pamela acted as if nothing had happened.")
Note
When two or more -mente adverbs appear in a row, only the last one keeps the -mente ending.
- Ese autor escribe atrevida y audazmente.
("That author writes boldly and daringly.") - Hizo la comida fácil y cuidadosamente.
("She made the meal easily and carefully.") - Él la trata tierna, amable y amorosamente.
("He treats her tenderly, kindly, and lovingly.")
4. Adverbios de cantidad (Adverbs of quantity)
Indicate the amount of the action. Many of them also express quality in a higher degree, which is why they often modify adjectives or adverbs. Common ones: DEMASIADO ("too much"), MUCHO ("a lot"), BASTANTE ("quite"), MENOS ("less"), TANTO ("so much"), MÁS ("more"), POCO ("little"), CASI ("almost"), NADA ("nothing"), CUANTO, CUÁNTO ("how much"), MUY ("very").
Examples
- Carlos duerme demasiado.
("Carlos sleeps too much.") - Me gusta mucho la música oriental.
("I really like Eastern music.") - Ese problema no es nada obvio.
("That problem isn't obvious at all.") - Su novia es muy alta.
("His girlfriend is very tall.") - Hace bastante frío.
("It's quite cold.") - Ya casi es hora.
("It's almost time.")
5. Adverbios de duda (Adverbs of doubt)
Express possibility, wish, or doubt. Common ones: QUIZÁ or QUIZÁS ("maybe"), TAL VEZ ("perhaps"), ACASO ("perhaps").
Examples
- Si digo la verdad tal vez me crean.
("If I tell the truth, maybe they'll believe me.") - Quizás mejoren las cosas.
("Maybe things will get better.") - Acaso lleguen mañana.
("Perhaps they'll arrive tomorrow.")
6. Adverbios de afirmación (Adverbs of affirmation)
Used to confirm the verb's action. Examples: SÍ ("yes"), CIERTAMENTE ("certainly"), VERDADERAMENTE ("truly"), REALMENTE ("really"), TAMBIÉN ("also").
Examples
- Ciertamente es muy bonita y Sarah también.
("She is certainly very pretty, and Sarah too.") - Yo sí trabajé con él.
("I did work with him.") - Realmente me gusta esa película.
("I really like that movie.")
7. Adverbios de negación (Adverbs of negation)
Used to negate the verb or another part of the sentence. Common ones: NO ("no, not"), NI ("nor"), APENAS ("barely"), TAMPOCO ("neither"), JAMÁS, NUNCA ("never").
Examples
- Agustín tampoco estuvo de acuerdo.
("Agustín didn't agree either.") - Nunca dice mentiras.
("He never lies.") - Mi prima no comió.
("My cousin didn't eat.") - Ella siempre llega temprano, jamás tarde.
("She always arrives early, never late.") - Apenas pude comer.
("I could hardly eat.") - Ni tú ni yo.
("Neither you nor me.")
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Etymology: From Latin adverbium, from verbum ("word").