What is an adverb?

We explain what an adverb is and the types that exist. In addition, their degrees of comparison and various sentences with adverbs.

1. What is an adverb?

It is called  adverb  (from the Latin  ad-  +  verbum , that is, “next to the verb”) to a type of word whose syntactic function (that is, within the sentence) is to modify or complement a verb, an adjective , to another adverb or even, on certain occasions, to an entire sentence. Its operation is similar to that of the adjective, which modifies nouns exclusively .

Adverbs  express circumstances determined in a manner, time, place and quantity, among many others , answering questions such as when? where? how? In what way? And they do so by forming adverbial phrases, that is, sentence fragments that fulfill this function exclusively.

As for the sentence analysis , adverbs  are usually part of the predicate , although it is possible to find them by modifying adjectives in the subject’s phrase. They usually play the role of circumstantial complement of the verb, or of quantifier or complement of other adverbs and adjectives.

2. Types of adverbs and examples

Traditionally, adverbs in Spanish have been classified based on two criteria:

Circumstantial adverbs . Those who express a specific circumstance in which the action of the verb of the sentence occurred . They may be:

• Adverbs of place . They pose a spatial relationship with what happened. For example: there, here, up, down, near, far, together, behind, in front, around.
• Adverbs of time . They propose a temporary proportion regarding what happened. For example: before, after, soon, then, late, early, tomorrow, always, never, promptly.
• Adverbs of mode . They indicate the specific way in which something has been done. For example: bad, regular, good, slow, fast, slowly, better, worse, great, faithfully, tremendously.
• Comparative adverbs  . They indicate the proportion or quantity of something. For example: more, less, very, little, much, quite, alone, almost, so, so much, nothing, approximately.

Epistemic adverbs . Those who appeal to the recipient or give a certain meaning to what has been said, more linked to the issuer than to the circumstances of what happened. They may be:

• Affirmative adverbs . They express an affirmation or conformity. For example: yes, surely, also, true, of course, indeed.
• Negative adverbs . On the contrary, they express denial or disagreement. For example: no, never, never, neither.
• Adverbs of order . Those who express a sequence or order relationship. For example: first, first, lately, later.
• Dubious adverbs . They express doubt or reservation against what has been said. For example: maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe.
• Exclamatory adverbs . They are used to interrogate or exclaim in a sentence and are usually accentuated whether or not accompanied by exclamation marks (!!?). For example: when, how, why, where.

3. Degrees

Certain adverbs in Spanish serve to indicate certain degrees of comparison , which often serve to establish relationships or proportions between two or more objects or realities. These degrees of comparison are distinguished as follows:

• Positive form . The ordinary use of the adverb to express a circumstantial property. For example: Vilma eats fast.
• Comparative form . Adverbs are used as … as (equality), more … than (superiority) and less … than (inferiority), in a fixed way. For example: Vilma eats as quickly as Susana. This is true except for adverbs: good, bad, much, little, very, better, worse, more and less.
• Absolute superlative form . To build the form of comparison to the extreme, the adverb must be added to the ending – very, which makes it a superlative, the maximum degree of something. For example: Vilma eats very fast.

4. Prayers with adverbs

Here are some sentences with  adverbs :

• Tomorrow  we will take you to the doctor (adverb of time)
• Earthworms grow  slowly  (adverb of way)
• ¿ When  you think about moving? (exclamatory adverb)
• I hope your grandfather heals  soon  (adverb of time)
• Lobsters move  quickly  if they are  under  the water (so adverbs and place)
• You told me  yes  ‘d come (yes adverb)
• They never  prepared me to suffer  so much  (negative and comparative adverbs)
•  I just want to hear from you (comparative adverb)
• You are  always  at home  lately  (adverbs of time and order)
• We may  stay  there  (dubitative and place adverbs)
• You probably  have  nothing  serious (doubtful and quantity adverbs)
• I don’t know  what  you intend to do about it (exclamatory adverb)
• There  we are not  very  welcome (adverbs of place and comparative)
• Maria is a super  sensual woman  (comparative adverb)
• Peter runs  as much  as  John (comparative adverbs)
• You shouldn’t live so  intensely  (adverb of way)