Adverbs: how, when, where and how often

Adverbs tell you how, when, where and how often. Using a range of them improves your speaking and writing.

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Making adverbs with -mente

Add -mente to the feminine singular adjective: lento, lenta, lentamente; rápido, rápidamente.
Adjectives ending in -e or a consonant just add -mente: fácil: fácilmente, normal: normalmente, reciente: recientemente.
The written accent stays: fácilmente, rápidamente.
Two adverbs together: only the second takes -mente: lenta y claramente.

Common adverbs

KindAdverbs
timeahora, ya, todavía, pronto, luego, entonces, temprano, tarde
frequencysiempre, a menudo, a veces, de vez en cuando, nunca
placeaquí, allí, cerca, lejos, fuera, arriba, abajo, delante, detrás
degreemuy, bastante, demasiado, poco, mucho, tan

Comparing actions

más ... que (more ... than), menos ... que (less ... than), tan ... como (as ... as):
Mi hermano corre más rápido que yo. Voy al cine menos a menudo que mis amigos.
Bien becomes mejor and mal becomes peor: Cantas mejor que yo.
Adverbs never agree, but mucho, poco and demasiado agree when they go with a noun: demasiada gente (too many people), pocos amigos.
Worked example

Translate: Fortunately my sister drives more slowly than my brother.

  1. Fortunately = afortunadamente
  2. drives = conduce
  3. more slowly than = más lentamente que / más despacio que

Answer: Afortunadamente, mi hermana conduce más lentamente que mi hermano.

Key idea

Feminine adjective + -mente (lentamente); -e / consonant + -mente (fácilmente). Ahora, ya, todavía, pronto; siempre, a menudo, a veces, nunca; aquí, allí, cerca, lejos; muy, bastante, demasiado. Más / menos ... que, tan ... como; mejor, peor.

Key words
siempre
always
a menudo
often
a veces
sometimes
nunca
never
fácil
easy

All GCSE and International GCSE Spanish key terms and definitions →

Common mistakes
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Extra practice

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  1. Which is the adverb from "lento"?

    1. lentomente
    2. lentamente
    3. lentmente
    4. lentamento
    Show the answer

    Answer: lentamente

    Lenta + -mente.

  2. Which is the adverb from "difícil"?

    1. dificilmente
    2. difícilmente
    3. difícilamente
    4. dificilamente
    Show the answer

    Answer: difícilmente

    Difícil + -mente, accent kept.

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Practise this lesson free (6 questions)All GCSE and International GCSE Spanish lessons

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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