Spanish Word: adverbio | English Word: adverb
Adverbs in Spanish modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information about how, when, where, or to what extent something happens.
Basics of Placement
- Most adverbs are placed after the verb they modify.
- Some adverbs, especially those of time and frequency, can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence.
- Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs are placed before them.
Placement by Type of Adverb
1. Adverbs of Manner (how?)
These describe how an action is performed (e.g., rápidamente, bien, mal).
- Usually placed after the verb.
- Can be moved for emphasis.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Ella corre rápidamente. |
| English Example |
2. Adverbs of Time (when?)
These indicate when something happens (e.g., ahora, siempre, nunca).
- Often placed at the beginning or end of a sentence.
- Can appear before the verb for emphasis.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Ahora voy saliendo. |
| English Example |
3. Adverbs of Place (where?)
These tell where something happens (e.g., aquí, allí, debajo).
- Usually placed after the verb.
- Can also appear at the end of the sentence.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Está aquí. |
| English Example |
4. Adverbs of Quantity (how much?)
These express to what extent or how much (e.g., muy, bastante, demasiado).
- Placed before the adjective, adverb, or verb they modify.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Estoy muy cansado. |
| English Example |
Special Cases
1. Double Placement for Emphasis
- Some adverbs can appear both before and after the verb for stylistic reasons.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Siempre leo libros. |
| English Example |
2. Short Adverbs Before Verb
- Common short adverbs like bien, mal, mucho, poco can sometimes precede the verb.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| Mucho trabajo. |
| English Example |
3. Adverbs with Compound Tenses
- Place the adverb before the past participle in compound tenses.
| Spanish Example |
|---|
| He ya terminado. |
| English Example |
Summary
- Place adverbs of manner and place after the verb.
- Place adverbs of time at the beginning or end of the sentence.
- Place adverbs of quantity before the word they modify.
- Use flexible placement for emphasis and style.
- In compound tenses, place adverbs before the past participle.
Adverb placement in Spanish is mostly intuitive, and slight variations often do not change the meaning. Practice and exposure will help you develop a natural sense of where to place them.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025