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Forming regular adverbs ending in -mente

Ana Matilla
2019-11-18
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Look at these sentences using adverbs:

Ellas son lentas: caminan lentamente.They are slow: they walk slowly.

Los coches son rápidos: van rápidamente.Cars are fast: they go quickly.

Ellos duermen plácidamente.They sleep placidly.

In English you add -ly. Here's how you form regular adverbs in Spanish:

- Take the feminine form of the adjective.
- Add -mente at the end

Note that sometimes the feminine and masculine forms are the same: in that case, use the adjective as it is:

Finalmente voy a ser médico.I'm finally going to be a doctor.

Puedes hacer los ejercicios fácilmente.You can do the exercises easily.

Nos atienden amablemente.They serve us kindly.

Debes atar los cordones fuertemente.You must tie your laces tightly.

Important note on accents in regular adverbs:

If the adjective has a written accent, when forming the regular adverb ending in -mente, you need to keep the written accent.

For example:

rápido - rápidamente

quick - quickly

fácil - fácilmente

easy - easily

cómodo - cómodamente

comfortable - comfortably

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Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics

Examples and resources

Nos atienden amablemente.They serve us kindly.
Ellos duermen plácidamente.They sleep placidly.
Puedes hacer los ejercicios fácilmente.You can do the exercises easily.
Ellas son lentas: caminan lentamente.They are slow: they walk slowly.
Finalmente voy a ser médico.I'm finally going to be a doctor.
Los coches son rápidos: van rápidamente.Cars are fast: they go quickly.
Vosotros vivís felizmente.You live happily.
Debes atar los cordones fuertemente.You must tie your laces tightly.
Clever stuff underway!