The Spanish Compass: Learn Spanish for English Speaker

If you want to describe how an action is performed in Spanish, you will most likely use the suffix -mente . This suffix is the direct equivalent of the English "-ly" (as in quickly , honestly , or happily ). While the process is straightforward, there are a few specific grammatical steps you must follow to ensure your Spanish sounds natural and correct. Unlike English, where some adverbs change significantly from their adjective form (e.g., good to well ), the vast majority of Spanish adverbs are built directly from adjectives using a very consistent formula. The Step-by-Step Construction Formula To turn a Spanish adjective into an adverb, follow these two simple rules based on the ending of the original adjective. 1. Adjectives Ending in -o (Four-Form Adjectives) For adjectives that change gender (ending in -o for masculine and -a for feminine), you must use the feminine singular form before adding the suffix. Step A: Take the masculine adjective: Rápido (Fast) Step ...