Spanish Adverbs: Types and Usage

Spanish Adverbs

Like in English, Spanish adverbs provide us with details about how, when and where the action described in the sentence takes place. They can modify the meaning of a single word - be it a verb, adjective or noun - or even an entire sentence.

Spanish Adverbs ending in "-mente"

Most adverbs in Spanish are derived from adjectives, just like in English. In English, we often just add the suffix "-ly" to the adjective and voila! You have an adverb. For example:

Spanish adverbs derived from adjectives are formed in much the same way, simply adding the suffix "-mente" to the feminine singular form of the adjective. In many cases, the feminine form is the same as the masculine form; however, when the masculine singular form of the adjective ends in -o, the -o is changed to an -a before the "-mente" is added on. For example:

Spanish Adverbs not ending in "-mente"

There are also Spanish adverbs that don't end in "-mente" and therefore have to be learned separately. Here are a few of the most common:

Types of Adverbs in Spanish

There are several types of adverbs, all of which help us to understand in greater detail the circumstances of an action or process- the how, the when, the where adn much more.

Sentences don't need adverbs to be correct, but put it this way: it's both more interesting and more informative to hear "The cat pounced unexpectedly" than simply "The cat pounced."

1. Adverbs of manner

Adverbs of manner are the most common adverbs, both in English and in Spanish. They help us to understand how, or in what manner, something is done. In Spanish, these adverbs follow the verbs they modify. For example:

2. Adverbs of quantity: intensifiers & modifiers

Intensifiers and modifiers are used to essentially tweak the intensity of an adverb or adjective. This category includes Spanish adverbs like "muy" (very), "más" (more) and "poco" (little). These adverbs generally come before the words they modify. For example:

3. "Point of view" adverbs

The adverbs known as "point of view" adverbs can affect an entire sentence and, like the name says, indicate an opinion or point of view. These adverbs generall go at the beginning of a sentence, though this is not always the case. For example:

4. Adverbs of time

Just as adverbs of manner tell HOW something occurs, adverbs of time tell us WHEN. Often, but not always, this adverb goes after the verb it modifies. For example:

5. Adverbs of place

Adverbs of place, like the name says, provide us with information about WHERE an action takes place. Whether before or after the verb it modifies, it's important that adverbs of place be close in the sentence to the modified verb. These adverbs can be confusing, given that many adverbs of place can also be used as prepositions or pronouns. For example: