G1 · Grammar

Adverbs of Manner — -mente

Say how things happen: rápidamente, bien, despacio

Building -mente adverbs

Take the feminine form of the adjective and add -mente — like English -ly.

rápido → rápida → rápidamente (quickly)

lento → lenta → lentamente (slowly)

fácil → fácilmente (easily) — no separate feminine, just add -mente

If the adjective has an accent, the adverb keeps it: rápidamente, fácilmente.

Bien and mal

The two most common manner adverbs are irregular: bien (well) and mal (badly). Never "buenamente" for this meaning.

Cocinas muy bien. (You cook very well.)

Dormí mal anoche. (I slept badly last night.)

Watch out: bueno/malo are adjectives (describe nouns); bien/mal are adverbs (describe verbs).

Despacio and friends

Some everyday manner adverbs are single words with no -mente.

despacio (slowly): Habla más despacio, por favor.

deprisa (quickly), alto (loudly), bajo (quietly), claro (clearly)

Two -mente in a row

When two -mente adverbs are joined by y/o, only the last one keeps -mente.

Habla lenta y claramente. (He speaks slowly and clearly.)

Position

Manner adverbs usually follow the verb (or the whole verb phrase).

Conduce con cuidado / cuidadosamente. (He drives carefully.)

Explicó el problema claramente. (She explained the problem clearly.)

Common Mistakes

Traps for English speakers

These are the errors English speakers make most often.

rápidomente
→
rápidamente
Use the feminine form of the adjective: rápida + mente
Canta muy bueno.
→
Canta muy bien.
Verbs take the adverb bien, not the adjective bueno
Habla lentamente y claramente.
→
Habla lenta y claramente.
With two adverbs, only the last keeps -mente
facilmente (no accent)
→
fácilmente
The adverb keeps the accent of the original adjective
Conduce despacio... ¿despaciamente?
→
despacio is already an adverb
Despacio, deprisa, alto, bajo need no -mente

Recap: Adverbs of Manner

Formation
feminine adjective + -mente
rápida → rápidamente
Well / badly
bien / mal (irregular)
Cocinas bien. Dormí mal.
No -mente needed
despacio, deprisa, alto, bajo
Habla más despacio.
Two in a row
first loses -mente
lenta y claramente
Accent
kept from the adjective
fácil → fácilmente
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