Learning Spanish: Understanding Adverbs
This page offers a comprehensive guide to understanding and using adverbs in Spanish, helpful for beginner English speakers.
donde
where
The word 'donde' is used in Spanish similarly to the English word 'where', typically in interrogative or relative clauses to refer to a place or location. It is commonly involved in idiomatic expressions and combined with prepositions, creating phrases like 'de donde' (from where) or 'a donde' (to where). However, unlike English, Spanish does not use it to introduce indirect questions.
Example sentences with donde →en lugar de
instead
The Spanish phrase 'en lugar de' is used in the place of 'instead' in English. It is used to suggest a contrary action or show an alternative. For instance, 'I had tea en lugar de coffee' would mean 'I had tea instead of coffee'.
Example sentences with en lugar de →entero
whole
The Spanish word 'entero' translates to 'whole' in English. It is often used to describe a complete, all-encompassing entity or quantity, such as in the phrase 'comio todo el pastel entero,' meaning 'he ate the whole cake.' The term can be used in a variety of contexts, both literally and metaphorically, and can describe physical objects, denoting undamaged or unbroken objects, as well as abstract concepts to signify totality.
Example sentences with entero →entonces
then
The Spanish term for 'then' is 'entonces'. It is used in much the same way as in English - to indicate a sequence of events, e.g., 'You put on your shoes, then you go outside.' would translate as 'Te pones los zapatos, entonces sales.' It is also used to show a result or consequence, similar to 'so' in English.
Example sentences with entonces →equivocado
wrong
The Spanish word 'equivocado' is usually used to mean 'wrong' or 'mistaken'. It is typically used to describe someone who has a wrong understanding or has done something incorrectly. It can be used in various contexts, such as in giving directions ('estás equivocado, el banco no está por aquí' which means 'you are wrong, the bank is not this way'), or in debates to contradict someone's statement ('estás equivocado, eso no es correcto' which means 'you are wrong, that is not correct').
Example sentences with equivocado →eso
that
In Spanish, 'eso' is used to represent something that is not near the speaker but not as removed as something that might be referenced using 'aquellos' or 'aquellas'. It is a demonstrative pronoun, acting not only as a pointer but as a noun replacement to avoid redundancy or over-specification. However, 'eso' is also used in an idiomatic or abstract sense to mean 'the thing is,' or 'that's the problem,' amongst other things.
Example sentences with eso →especialmente
especially
In Spanish, 'especialmente' is used similarly to 'especially' in English. It is used to single out one person, thing, or situation over all others. It could also be used to mean 'particularly'. The usage of 'especialmente' largely depends on the context of the sentence.
Example sentences with especialmente →esta noche
tonight
The Spanish phrase 'esta noche' directly translates to 'this night' in English, but is commonly used to mean 'tonight'. It is often used in the context of discussing plans or events occurring in the evening of the current day. E.g. Vamos a cenar esta noche, translates to 'We are going to have dinner tonight.'
Example sentences with esta noche →esto
this
The Spanish word 'esto' is used similarly to the English word 'this', it's a demonstrative pronoun that is gender neutral. It's often utilized to refer to a singular thing or idea that is close in space or time, or to something that's being introduced in the discourse. Compared to its English counterpart, 'esto' does not change based on gender or plural form, making it slightly simpler in usage.
Example sentences with esto →estupendo
great
The Spanish word 'estupendo' is used to describe something that is very good, impressive, or admirable. It can be a person, place or situation. It's versatile and used in various contexts, much like its English counterpart 'great'.
Example sentences with estupendo →exactamente
exactly
In Spanish, the word 'exactamente' is used in similar contexts as 'exactly' in English. It is used to express total agreement, precision or to emphasize the truthfulness of a statement. For example, if someone says 'El examen fue muy difícil' (The exam was very hard), you could respond with 'Exactamente' to express that you completely agree.
Example sentences with exactamente →finalmente
finally
The Spanish term 'finalmente' directly translates to 'finally' in English. It is used in similar contexts as in English, whether to indicate something happening after a long time or at the end of a series. For example, 'Finalmente llegue a casa' means 'I finally got home'.
Example sentences with finalmente →fresco
fresh
The Spanish word 'fresco' translates to 'fresh' in English. It is an adjective that can be used in various contexts just like its English counterpart. It is commonly used to describe food that is recently prepared or not preserved, such as 'pescado fresco' meaning 'fresh fish'. It can also describe something cool or refreshing, as in 'aire fresco', translating to 'fresh air'. Remembering the English cognate 'fresh', as well as noting its usage in various phrases, will help learners understand and use 'fresco' in Spanish.
Example sentences with fresco →hoy
today
The word 'hoy' is used in Spanish to denote the current day, exactly as 'today' is used in English. It is commonly used in daily conversations and is often found in expressions related to time, like 'hoy en día' (nowadays) or 'hoy mismo' (today itself).
Example sentences with hoy →inmediaciones
nearby
The Spanish word 'inmediaciones' can be translated to English as 'nearby' or 'vicinity'. It is usually used to refer to areas or locations that are close to a certain point of reference. For instance, it could be used to describe the area around your current location or near a specific, mentioned place.
Example sentences with inmediaciones →izquierda
left
The word 'izquierda' in Spanish is used to denote the direction 'left'. It's an adjective used to specify a direction or location. For instance, 'gira a la izquierda' translates to 'turn to the left'. It's also used in political context similar to English to refer to left-wing politics.
Example sentences with izquierda →juntos
together
The term 'juntos' in Spanish translates directly to 'together' in English. This word can be used in various contexts similarly to English, mostly to denote togetherness or unity. For instance, 'Vamos a comer juntos' means 'Let's eat together'. Like in English, it doesn't change according to gender or number.
Example sentences with juntos →largo
long
The Spanish word 'largo' corresponds to the English word 'long' and is used to describe the length of something. It can refer to both physical length (as in a long road or a long book) as well as metaphorical length (as in a long wait or a long conversation). Its usage is similar to that in English. Note that 'largo' should agree in gender with the noun it describes; use 'larga' when describing feminine words.
Example sentences with largo →lejos
away
The Spanish word for 'away' is 'lejos'. It is used similarly in Spanish as it is in English, indicating the state of not being present in a certain location, or indicating distance from a certain point. For example, 'No estoy lejos' translates to 'I am not away' in English. It should be noted that Spanish has several other words that can also translate to 'away' depending on the context, including 'fuera', 'alejado', and 'ausente'.
Example sentences with lejos →lentamente
slowly
This adverb is used in reference to slow action or when giving instructions for caution or care.
Example sentences with lentamente →libre
free
The Spanish word for 'free' is 'libre'. It is mostly used in the same context as in English, representing the absence of constraint or cost. It can describe a person, a place, or a state of mind. However, 'libre' might not be used in situations where 'free' means without charge; 'gratis' would be more appropriate there.
Example sentences with libre →mañana
morning
The Spanish word 'mañana' is used to refer to the period of time from sunrise to noon, similar to how 'morning' is used in English. It is also commonly used in greetings such as 'Buenos días' which means 'Good morning'. However, the term 'mañana' can also mean 'tomorrow' depending on the usage and context, highlighting the flexibility of Spanish vocabulary.
Example sentences with mañana →más
more
The Spanish word 'más' corresponds to English 'more'. It can be used both in the context of wanting more quantity of something, as well as in comparisons to indicate that something is superior in some aspect. For example, 'quiero más' means 'I want more', while 'Ella es más alta que yo' means 'She is taller than me'.
Example sentences with más →más bien
rather
The Spanish word 'más bien' is an adverb used to indicate preference or to provide a correction to a previous statement, similar to how 'rather' is used in English. It is often used in sentences to clarify or contrast information.
Example sentences with más bien →más tarde
later
The Spanish phrase 'más tarde' translates to 'later' in English. It is most commonly used to indicate a future time. Just like in English, it can be used in the context of postponing something to a later time or referring to a time coming after the present time.
Example sentences with más tarde →mayor
most
The Spanish word 'mayor' is commonly used as an adjective and can be translated as 'most' in English. It is generally placed before the noun it modifies. Sometimes it is also used in comparison context. Like English, it's also used to denote 'greater in amount or degree.' It's a versatile word that often sees use in everyday Spanish conversation and writing.
Example sentences with mayor →mejor
best
The word 'mejor' in Spanish is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is superior in some way. This could be in terms of quality, ability, or performance. Like in English, it can be used in various contexts, such as comparing two or more things, stating preferences, or showing improvement. For instance, 'Este es el mejor café' means 'This is the best coffee.'
Example sentences with mejor →menos
least
The Spanish word 'menos' is the direct translation for the English word 'least'. It is often used in comparisons, just like in English, to express the lowest degree out of a group or set. It can also be used in negations to imply the absence of something, although this usage is less common. Always remember to use it in appropriate contexts for proper comprehension.
Example sentences with menos →mismo
same
The Spanish word 'mismo' is used to indicate that something is identical. We use it when we are referring to something that is not different or changes. For example, 'La misma chica' which means 'The same girl'. Yet it can also be used for emphasis, such as 'Yo mismo lo hice' translates to 'I did it myself'. The context of the sentence usually determines its precise meaning.
Example sentences with mismo →mitad
half
The Spanish word 'mitad' translates to 'half' in English. It is commonly used in both languages to refer to 50% of a particular thing or quantity. It can be used contextually in phrases regarding divisions or fractions. For instance, one can say 'mitad de una manzana' which translates to 'half of an apple'. It is used exactly as 'half' is used in English.
Example sentences with mitad →